The Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal take place this weekend with ORICA-BikeExchange looking to expand on their good history of results in the twin WorldTour races known as ‘The Laurentian Cassics’.

In 2014 Simon Gerrans became the only rider in history to have done the double and won both races in the same year with the Australian also previously winning in Quebec in 2012.

This year Gerrans is racing at La Vuelta a Espana and expectations for the Canadian races fall to 2016 Tour de France stage winners Michael Matthews and Adam Yates.

Matthews will lead the team for the first race in Quebec on Friday and returns to the race where he finished second in 2015, with the Australian squad looking go one better in this years edition.

Yates finished the Tour in fourth overall and became the first Briton to win the best young rider category at the prestigious Grand Tour and returns to the team following a short break after the Olympic road race in Rio.

Sport director Laurenzo Lapage is looking forward to the races and has high hopes for the team.

“We have a very strong team for Quebec and Montreal,” said Lapage. “Due to the strength in depth and the versatility of the squad we can set ourselves realistically high objectives for both races and aim to build on our good results here in the past.

“Michael (Matthews) will be our number one for Quebec and Adam (Yates) for the hillier Montreal, we have high hopes for both races and with this line up we have options for different eventualities."

The 24-year-old Yates will be the protected rider for Sundays race in Montreal and with the speed and versatility of Michael Albasini and Daryl Impey, the team have options for the two one day races.

Road Captain and 2916 Paris Roubaix winner Matthew Hayman brings strength and experience into the team alongside Australian Luke Durbridge and Dane Chris Juul Jensen.

Canadian strong man Christian Meier returns to race on home soil and completes the eight-man squad for OBE.

“Both races are fast criterium style circuit races with tough parcours," continued Lapage. "Quebec has four small climbs to negotiate on every lap whereas Montreal has three on the slopes around the Mount Royal.

“For sure both races will be tough, but we have a well prepared squad. Most of these guys raced recently together in the Bretagne classic and did well, we are highly motivated to achieve a good result here.”

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec is the first of the two races and takes place on Friday 9th of September. Covering eleven 18kilometre circuits with four climbs in quick succession before a tough uphill drag to the line.

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal takes place on Sunday 11th of September and covers seventeen 12kilometre circuits with three short ascents on each passage with another uphill finish. Montreal can be deceptive and by the end the riders will have climbed nearly 4,000 altitude metres.

ORICA-BikeExchange at GP Cicliste de Quebec and Montreal (9th and 11thSeptember):

Michael Albasini (SUI, 35)

Luke Durbridge (AUS, WA, 25)

Mathew Hayman (AUS, ACT, 38)

Daryl Impey (RSA, 30)

Chris juul Jensen (DEN, 27)

Michael Matthews (AUS, ACT, 25)

Christian Meier (CAN, 31)

Adam Yates (GBR, 24)