Wellens wins rain-soaked Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal

Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) won a rain-soaked Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday, taking the victory from a two-up sprint against his late-race breakaway companion Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge). Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) won the chase-group sprint for third place.

"I think my [overall] win at the Eneco Tour was nicer, but I won in a sprint and it was a nice feeling to win in a sprint. This was a WorldTour race here so it is very important," Wellens said. "The win at the Eneco Tour was a little bit nicer but I'm very happy with this victory."

Yates and Wellens attacked on the final decisive climb over Mont Royal and held off a chase group that included Costa, Jan Bakelants and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo). The pair rounded the final U-turn and tested one another in the final 400 metres to see who would jump first, almost getting caught by the chasers. In the end, it was Wellens who sprinted to the line with the victory, leaving Yates in second place.

"Wellens was super strong, and all they way in toward the finish he was doing the most work and giving the biggest turns," Yates said. "He wasn't just the strongest at the finish but also from the top of the last climb. I'm happy with second and I'll come back next year to try and do one better."

How it unfolded

At the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, racers started on the wide-open Avenue du Parc before climbing up Mont Royal along the Cote de Camillien-Houde. They faced a smaller climb over the Cote de la Polytechnique half way around the 12.1km circuit. And one of the key factors in the final was the U-turn along the Avenue du Parc, which racers descended into and then climbed out of along the 400-metre uphill drag to the finish line. The race was 17 laps for a total of 205km.

Unlike the warm and sunny conditions at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City two days earlier, won by Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-QuickStep), the peloton lined up under rain and negotiated slick city streets in Montreal.

Several large breakaways formed early in the race but it settled into a group of six riders with Silvan Dillier (BMC), Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Michael Valgren (Tinkoff-Saxo), Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep), Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin), Michael Albasini (Orica) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana). A chase group bridged across with Brent Bookwalter (BMC), Jose Herrada (Movistar), Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Matteo Bono (Lampre-Merida).

Kwiatkowski pushed the pace on the climb over Mont Royal and opened a gap on his breakaway companions, which resulted in the world champion continuing on in a brief solo move before regrouping with the main field at the start of the next lap.

The most decisive breakaway of the day set off with 80km to go, ignited by Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), who was later joined by Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal) and Manuel Quinziato (BMC).  Christopher Juul Jensen (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Andriy Grivko (Astana) later bridge across to the three leaders and they built an advantage of two minutes with four laps to go. Juul Jensen was later brought back into the field.

Orica-GreenEdge sent six riders to the fore of the peloton to set the pace for Michael Matthews, while the Yates brothers, Adam and Simon, sat toward the back of the small field.

Although the rain had somewhat subsided half way through the race, it poured over the riders with three laps to go, causing large flowing streams of water on the course.

The four breakaway riders lost time to the field as Orica-GreenEdge drove the pace with 24km remaining (two laps), and they struggled to hold on to half a minute over Mont Royal. Vervaeke and Voeckler continued on, later joined by Michael Valgren (Tinkoff-Saxo), but the trio only held 15 seconds on the bunch as they raced through the start-finish area with one lap to go, as Etixx-QuickStep moved their riders to the front for Uran.

On the last climb up Mont Royal, the pack was all together and led by Kwiatkowski. Yates attacked over the climb but he only managed to gain a few seconds before he was joined by Wellens. Four riders formed a chase group with Bakelants, Bardet, Costa and Kelderman 12 seconds back with under three kilometres to go, and an additional eight seconds to the main field.

Wellens led Yates into the final U-turn and the pair played a nail-biting game of cat and mouse during the final 400 metres, nearly getting caught by the chase group at the finish line. Wellens ended up winning the sprint to the line for the victory, forcing Yates to settle for second.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal5:20:09
2Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdgeRow 1 - Cell 2
3Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida0:00:02
4Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:04
5Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 4 - Cell 2
6Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:00:05
7Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 6 - Cell 2
8Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:00:09
9Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 10 - Cell 2
12Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 11 - Cell 2
13Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 12 - Cell 2
14Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 13 - Cell 2
15Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:12
16Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdgeRow 15 - Cell 2
17Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory RacingRow 16 - Cell 2
18Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdgeRow 18 - Cell 2
20Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal0:00:15
21Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Michael Woods (Can) CanadaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 24 - Cell 2
26Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo0:00:19
27Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin0:00:39
28Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team0:01:06
29Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team KatushaRow 28 - Cell 2
30Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 180:01:18
31Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
32Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 32 - Cell 2
34José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 34 - Cell 2
36Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:01:21
38Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Argon 180:01:31
39Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18Row 39 - Cell 2
41Ryan Anderson (Can) CanadaRow 40 - Cell 2
42Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 41 - Cell 2
43Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 42 - Cell 2
44Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 43 - Cell 2
45Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr0:01:40
46Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha0:03:22
47Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar0:04:59
48Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team0:06:04
49Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal0:06:41
50Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 49 - Cell 2
51Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 50 - Cell 2
52Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 51 - Cell 2
53Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 52 - Cell 2
54Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 53 - Cell 2
55Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
56Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team0:06:43
57Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 56 - Cell 2
58Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky0:06:46
59Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 58 - Cell 2
60Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step0:06:57
61Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha0:08:21
62Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Team KatushaRow 61 - Cell 2
63Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge0:08:25
64Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:08:59
DNFTom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFTony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 65 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFPhilip Deignan (Irl) Team SkyRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team SkyRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFDanny Pate (USA) Team SkyRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Earle (Aus) Team SkyRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team SkyRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Movistar TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFEros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFEnrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Soler (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFJasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Porsev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Spilak (Slo) Team KatushaRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFIlnur Zakarin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFManuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFMatti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFBruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFValerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFRein Taaramae (Est) Astana Pro TeamRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFLieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro TeamRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFLoic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdgeRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdgeRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFMagnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica GreenEdgeRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFChristian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdgeRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFAxel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFNikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFChad Haga (USA) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFFredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFGeorg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFRamon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFRoberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre-MeridaRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFJan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-MeridaRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFDiego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFJulian David Arredondo Moreno (Col) Trek Factory RacingRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory RacingRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory RacingRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFFabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory RacingRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFGrégory Rast (Swi) Trek Factory RacingRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFJesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Factory RacingRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFHayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory RacingRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.frRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.frRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFJohan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.frRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.frRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFSteve Morabito (Swi) FDJ.frRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.frRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.frRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFRyder Hesjedal (Can) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFJanier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Brown (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Haas (Aus) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFEdward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFRamunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFPaul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFJos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFSep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFBarry Markus (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFMatthias Brandle (Aut) IAM CyclingRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFHeinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFAleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM CyclingRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFMarcel Wyss (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFGiovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFBryan Coquard (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Pichot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFYohann Gene (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFBryan Naulleau (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFPerrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFSam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18Row 150 - Cell 2
DNFJan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18Row 151 - Cell 2
DNFDominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 152 - Cell 2
DNFChristoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 153 - Cell 2
DNFScott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18Row 154 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Clarke (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFDarren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFTravis Meyer (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFBernard Sulzberger (Aus) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFWouter Wippert (Ned) Drapac Professional CyclingRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Boivin (Can) CanadaRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFRob Britton (Can) CanadaRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Cataford (Can) CanadaRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFAdam De Vos (Can) CanadaRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin Perry (Can) CanadaRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Roth (Can) CanadaRow 166 - Cell 2

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Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

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