QUEBEC CITY, Canada (Reuters) - Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez are among the big names competing in Canada this week as the ProTour arrives on North American soil for the first time.

Friday's Quebec Grand Prix and Sunday's Montreal Grand Prix mark the return of high level cycling to the country after short-lived attempts in the 1990s.

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said the races were a significant step as the sport tries to increase its international audience.

"For a few years, UCI has made globalization a priority. It was an approach that was not always well received by skeptics. Now, after Australia, the ProTour is coming to Canada. It's a second step and a significant one, McQuaid said.

Several major races take place in the neighboring U.S. but are not part of the ProTour series.

American rider Levi Leipheimer and local favorite Ryder Hesjedal are also expected to take part in both races.

Organizers are committed to a five-year schedule for the two races on a 4.2 million Canadian dollars ($4.01 million) yearly budget.

Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume said it was in his city's plans to bid for the cycling road world championship, possibly in 2015.

It was an unwritten rule of the UCI that world championships take place outside the sport's heartland of Europe every seven years but McQuaid said he would recommend that period be brought down to five years.

This year's world championships are in Melbourne, Australia from September 29 to October 3.

(Editing by Alison Wildey)