Pavel Sivakov impresses with second at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

In the first of two races in Canada to kick off the late-season succession of one-day Classics, Pavel Sivakov rode to second place at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider manoeuvred himself into an elite group that contested the day’s honours on the east coast, with Julian Alaphilippe of Tudor Pro Cycling scoring the win.

The two-time world champion made his race-winning moves on the lower slopes of the final climb to the line, with Sivakov left to battle it out for the runner-up spot with Alberto Bettiol of XDS Astana Team. After more than five hours in the saddle on Friday evening, Sivakov had the upper hand to be the best-placed rider across the line behind Alaphilippe.

Meanwhile, making his return to racing after the Tour de France, current world champion Tadej Pogačar produced an attacking display to show himself up for the challenge in Montreal this weekend. After Friday’s contest, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal will bring the small block in Canada to an end.

Speaking after the finish, Sivakov reflected on his second place and looked ahead to a second bite of the apple on Sunday.

Sivakov: “It was good. We wanted to open the race, make it hard from a little over halfway. We started attacking, and I got myself into a strong group, building on the move of [teammate] Tim Wellens. We also had Nils who was off the front, which was perfect. I jumped to him, he really helped us to open a good gap, and then it was a bit of a waiting game.

“I was thinking the group behind could come back and I was ready to do the job for the boys, but then with 3km to go I realised that we were going to play the win.

“In the last lap, I was not pulling with the group and saving the legs for the last climb, but unfortunately, I could not follow Alaphilippe in the last steep kicker. It was really close, it would have been nice to add a win to our streak for the record, but this will be for another time and just super happy to have a good shape to end the season.

“I would say it went to plan, and then behind it basically didn’t come back. We were expecting it to come back and then probably sprint with the boys, but it was a change this year and I think it did [change it] for sure. I think we will have to take on the race, we have the favourite and probably the strongest team here. So it will be up to us to really make it hard and go for it.”

With the race finely balanced some 190km into the afternoon, Sivakov had made his way into an elite breakaway that came to define the last hour of racing. Following the right moves, the Frenchman leapfrogged off his teammate Nils Politt to secure his place at the head of the race.

As part of a 12-man front group, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider was joined in the breakaway by the likes of Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana Team), Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling). Their group would ultimately come to contest the victory, with the peloton never regaining contact with the front of the race.

With that being said, UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Tadej Pogačar did his best to bridge across to his teammate. As the penultimate ascent of the day’s climb approached, the current world champion instructed his teammate Tim Wellens to the front of the peloton, and in turn, the Belgian national champion produced a vicious turn of pace.

Sensing his moment to strike, Pogačar let rip with 13.3km to go, punching his way out of the peloton. His efforts were enough to draw a select group into no man’s land between the bunch and Sivakov’s ensemble, with Pogačar further reducing his companions a kilometre later.

Brandon McNulty would soon come to the party, with the American digging deep to bridge across to the group with the world champion. Not letting up for a second, McNulty did his best to close the gap to the front as much as possible, but his efforts would end up in vein. Perhaps surprised by the strength of the lead breakaway, the peloton misjudged its attempts to close the gap, and Sivakov’s group were able to battle for the win.

At one point, it was Alaphilippe and Bettiol out front, with the pair looking good for their advantage, but Sivakov was up for the challenge. Launching himself clear of the chasers, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider bridged up to the pair, creating a trio at the head of proceedings.

In the final kilometre, Alaphilippe proved too strong on the explosive kick to the line, but Sivakov was well worth his second place at the finish, coming up just two seconds shy of the day’s winner. There will be another chance for the Emirati squad to put on a show in Canada this Sunday, with the hilly parcours of Montreal looking better-suited to Pogačar and co on paper.

Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 2025 result

1. Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) 5:04:32

2. Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +2″

3. Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana Team) +4″