February 28, 2015 (Quebec City, QC) – Quebec City has renewed its contract with organizers of the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec World Tour races reports Radio Canada. The announcement, made by Quebec City’s Executive Committee, is for $4.35 million and covers the period of 2015-2018.

The annual financial contribution of Quebec City has actually been revised downwards; it stood at $2 million in 2014 alone. The Grand Prix cyclistes Quebec et Montreal (GPCQM) have been organizing World Tour races in Quebec City and in Montreal since 2010; these are the only WorldTour races in the Americas.

The promoter, Serge Arsenault, announced that he was happy with the news and that the Tour de France, together with the GPCQM have become a reference point both in terms of the quality of the sporting events and in terms of the television broadcast of the races.

According to statistics furnished by Quebec City, 89,500 spectators watched the 2014 event with some 24 percent of them came from outside the city. These visitors spent an estimated $3 million in Quebec City. Television images of the GPCQM are broadcast in 130 countries worldwide.

A similar approval is expected soon from the City of Montreal for the Montreal segment of the GPCQM.

Ici Radio Canada (French) here.