GP Cycliste de Montr\u00e9al<\/a> on Sunday, triumphing in a dramatic showdown between the favorites for the UCI Road World Championships, due to take place on the same circuit in two weeks.<\/p>\nBrandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates XRG) came in third, outsprinting Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) for the final podium place, and cementing a UAE Team Emirates two spots on the podium.<\/p>\n
Compared to the hectic race in Quebec on Friday, the GP Montreal was a more traditional affair, shaking out in a similar fashion to previous editions of the hillier Canadian WorldTour one-day races.<\/p>\n
There was a different level of importance to the race, however, as it was set to be the same lap as the finishing circuit of the World Championships at the end of the month. This provided a unique opportunity for many of the world\u2019s best riders to get a dress rehearsal for one of the biggest prizes in cycling, albeit with 60km less of total distance.<\/p>\n
The race came alive with around two hours left to race as Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) jumped from the peloton after the main breakaway of the day was reeled in. Over the next couple of laps, six other riders made it up to Ayuso, making a strong group of seven up the road with 50km left to race.<\/p>\n
That group included Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), who proved to be the main animator of the day. He attacked his breakaway companions with three laps to go on the C\u00f4te Camillien-Houde (1.9km, 7%). Of the six, only Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was initially able to go with the Irishman. Over the top, Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) clawed his way back, making the breakaway a trio heading into the final 30km.<\/p>\n
On the next lap, as the breakaway held onto a 30-second lead, Lidl-Trek launched a full lead-out for Quinn Simmons. In the process of Simmons\u2019 attack, Remco Evenepoel tried to respond, but was blocked by Toms Skuji\u0146\u0161 (Lidl-Trek). Evenepoel gestured like he was cut off, but the move seemed far from intentional. Meanwhile, up ahead McNulty bridged to Simmons and then counterattacked, quickly forming a gap and bridging to Yates, who had dropped back from the breakaway as Healy raised the tempo once again.<\/p>\n
Seixas was the rider who ultimately had to pull McNulty back, making it a select group of seven off the front, including Seixas, McNulty, Del Toro, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5), and Yates.<\/p>\n
The key missing figure was Evenepoel, who couldn\u2019t get back onto terms with the leaders after his outburst. Eventually he made it across, but it was after a long chase and didn\u2019t leave much time to recover before the final time up the main climb.<\/p>\n
Notably, Healy was still out front and had a significant gap ahead of the small chase group. With the Irishman always a threat when he is off the front solo, it was clear a big effort would need to come from the favorites to get across the gap.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Seixas was the one to make the big move, launching his attack halfway up the climb. Straight away, he was tracked by Del Toro, who was the only rider who could muster a real challenge to Seixas. At first, the Frenchman had a gap, but Del Toro, who seems to have refined an incredible sense of pacing in his short career, pulled his way back across the gap.<\/p>\n
The two riders combined well to hold off the select group of other favorites before Seixas tested Del Toro first on a ramp with 4km to go. The latter was unfazed and continued to work with the Frenchman.<\/p>\n
In the end, it was all down to a dramatic final sprint up the dragging last few hundred meters to the finish. There, Del Toro left little doubt as he powered away with around 200 meters left to go, sending a warning shot to all the other World Championship favorites that he is the man to beat in two weeks.<\/p>\n