Canada, Sept 13, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - French rider Julian Alaphilippe won the Quebec City Grand Prix on Friday, holding off compatriot Pavel Sivakov to claim his first victory since joining the Tudor team this year.

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, competing for the first time since capturing his fourth Tour de France title, launched a series of attacks but came up short in his bid to drop the leading group on the final lap.

"From the start of the day, I felt that I had strong legs," said Alaphilippe, who claimed his last major triumph in the 12th stage of the 2024 Giro d'Italia.

"And I raced smart," added Alaphilippe, who delivered his decisive attack on the Montagne climb, just under two kilometers from the finish.

The 33-year-old double world champion claimed the 45th victory of his career, attacking 80 kilometers from the finish with a group of about a dozen riders that was whittled to six over the tense final kilometers.

Four riders had enlivened the early action by breaking away on the first of the 18 laps of a 12 kilometer circuit.

Young Canadians Philippe Jacob and Felix Gouchard led the attack as they sought to shine in front of a home crowd organizers estimated at 200,000.

Pogacar remained without a victory in Quebec, but on Sunday will continue his Canadian tune-up for the world championships at the Montreal Grand Prix, a race he won in 2022 and again last year.

The 26-year-old will be defending his road race title and competing in the time trial at the World Championships in Rawanda later this month before attempting to make it five straight victories in the Tour of Lombardy.