September 14, 2025 - (Montréal, Que.) An arm-in-arm finish that will go down in the history of the Montréal Cycling Grand Prix. Tadej Pogacar gave a prestigious victory to Brandon McNulty, his teammate at UAE Team Emirates-XRG, by letting him cross the finish line first on Sunday. It was the epilogue to a day in which the world champion’s team executed its strategy to perfection.
Exhausting their rivals throughout the day by setting a fast pace and leaving no hope for the morning breakaway of seven riders, the Emirati team continued to thin out the peloton, which was reduced to about 20 riders with four laps to go. While all eyes were on Pogacar, it was McNulty who launched the attack in the group of favorites 37 kilometers from the finish, accompanied by Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek).
The four-time Tour de France winner joined them a few hundred meters further on, with Frenchman Louis Barré (Intermarché-Wanty) on his wheel. Pogacar accelerated again with 23 kilometers to go, on the penultimate climb of the Côte de Camillien-Houde (2.3 km at 6.2%).
But just as he seemed to be heading for a third victory in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal after 2022 and 2024, the world No. 1 decided to wait for his teammate McNulty, who had managed to shake off Simmons. Under the watchful eye of Greg Van Avermaet, two-time winner of the event in 2016 and 2019 and ambassador for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, the two men embarked on a final lap of honor where Pogacar did all the work, only letting his teammate take the lead in the final meters.
This victory, the 85th in 2025 for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, allows the Emirati team to equal the record for the number of victories in a season, previously held by the HTC Columbia team since 2009.
REACTIONS
Brandon McNulty (United States of America, UAE Team Emirates-XRG), winner of the 2025 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal: “Winning the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal by crossing the finish line with Tadej Pogacar, the best rider in the world and my teammate, will remain a unique moment in my career. It was an incredible day! We managed to execute our plan to perfection.
With four laps to go, I was asked if I could try a solo attack. I I tried and four of us broke away (McNulty, Pogacar, Simmons, and Barré, editor’s note). Then, after Tadej’s attack, I managed to drop Quinn Simmons and catch up with him. It was very special to find ourselves both at the front of the race.
With this victory, we have equaled the record for wins in a season. It’s very special and very rewarding after narrowly missing out last year (81 wins in 2024). Now we want to break that record before the end of the season. “
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG), second in the 2025 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal: “I’m very happy to see Brandon win here. He was very strong, as was the whole team today. We quickly reduced the peloton thanks to the sustained pace we set at the front. I gave the signal for Brandon to try his luck with four laps to go, then I joined him. And when I found myself alone after my attack in the penultimate lap,
I decided to wait for him when I saw that he wasn’t that far behind. Once we were together, it was clear that the victory would be between us.
It’s been an incredible season for our team. Many riders have already raised their arms in victory this year (20 riders, editor’s note), each one seizing their chance. It’s the result of a tremendous collective effort.”
Quinn Simmons (United States of America, Lidl-Trek), third in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2025: “This Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal was one of the most difficult one-day races of my career. Pogacar and McNulty’s team had a score to settle after Friday’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. They did it in style. Congratulations to them.
Being beaten by Brandon and Tadej is quite honorable. It’s my best result in a UCI World Tour one-day race. It’s an important milestone in my career. And then to be on the podium with another American, wearing the United States champion’s jersey, makes this day even more special.”
THE NUMBER: 4
Brandon McNulty’s victory on Sunday gave UAE Team Emirates-XRG its fourth consecutive win at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. Tadej Pogacar won twice in 2022 and 2024. Adam Yates raised his arms in victory on Avenue du Parc in Montreal in 2023.
PODIUM
1. Brandon MCNULTY (UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG)
2. Tadej POGACAR (UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG)
3. Quinn SIMMONS (LIDL-TREK)
BEST CANADIAN
Hugo HOULE (IPT)
BEST YOUNG RIDER
Jorgen NORDHAGEN (TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE)
Full results here.
ABOUT Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal (GPCQM)
The Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal (GPCQM), the only UCI WorldTour events held in the Americas, contribute significantly to the achievement of one of the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) priority objectives: the globalization of the WorldTour circuit. These events join those already certified in Europe, Asia and Oceania. Since 2010, the organizers have been responsible for the planning and staging of the GPCQM and rely on the indispensable support of public and private partners: the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec, the City of Québec, the City of Montréal, the National Battlefields Commission, Tourisme Montréal, Québecor, Ekoï as the official helmet and eyewear partner, as well as TUDOR as the official timekeeper and TVA Sports as the official broadcaster of the races https://gpcqm.ca
Its team also makes up the organizing committee for the UCI Road World Championships, which will be held in Montreal in 2026. https://www.montreal2026.org/en
