August 11, 2010 (Montreal, QC) – With just about a month to go now until the Grand Prix Cycliste races in Québec City and Montréal, Grand Prix Cycliste ProTour Québec – Montréal is proud to announce that quite a few big names from the ProTour circuit have chosen to compete in North America rather than Spain this September.

Earlier this week, team Liquigas-Doimo entered its leader, Italy’s Ivan Basso, winner of the 2010 Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), as well as Peter Sagan of Slovakia, a serious contender for the top step of the podium in both Québec City and Montréal. Also entered are Euskaltel-Euskadi team leader Samuel Sanchez of Spain, and the leader of the Milram squad, Germany’s Linus Gerdemann. They join a number of top riders already confirmed for the races, including standouts from the 2010 Tour de France: Quick Step team member Sylvain Chavanel, who won two stages and wore the yellow jersey, as well as Pierrick Fédrigo and France’s 2010 National Road Race Champion Thomas Voeckler, both of team Bbox Bouygues Telecom, who each won a stage.

As far as Canadian competitors are concerned, the organizers can now proudly confirm that the country’s strongest racers will be lining up for the start of both ProTour races. The only two Canadians entered in this year’s Tour de France, the amazing Ryder Hesjedal, who rides for Garmin Transitions, as well as Michael Barry, of Sky Pro Cycling, will be there. The Canadian Cycling Association will also unveil its national team at the August 25 press conference held by the Grand Prix Cycliste ProTour Québec – Montréal in Québec City.

Canadians from coast to coast will be able to follow this major North American premiere sporting event on TV. Viewers can tune in to French-language channel Évasion, which will broadcast both races live in their entirety, or Radio-Canada, which will air two 90-minute live specials on September 10 and 12. SportsNet ONE, meanwhile, will treat viewers in English Canada to no less than 6 hours of coverage of the two ProTour races. And our neighbours south of the border can watch two special programs on Versus, the official channel of the Tour de France in the U.S., on the weekends of September 11–12 and September 18–19.

About the Grand Prix Cycliste ProTour Québec – Montréal
In 2009, the UCI awarded a pair of licences to present the first-ever North American stops on the ProTour racing circuit. The organization is in charge of planning and presenting the Québec City and Montréal races from 2010 to 2014 inclusively. Please see the www.protourquebecmontreal.com website for full details on these races emblematic of the highest level of international cycling.