Montreal prepares for major disruptions as city hosts 2026 UCI Road World Championships

By Liam Tremblay — 14 August 2026 — 4 min read

Montreal to host major cycling event

Montreal is set to host the 2026 UCI Road World Championships from September 20 to September 27, bringing over 1,000 athletes from more than 80 countries to the city. This eight-day event will feature 13 races across Montreal and the South Shore, marking it as the largest sporting event in the city since the 1976 Olympic Games. The championships will also signify the return of the event to Montreal 52 years after it first hosted in 1974, which was the first time the UCI Road World Championships were held outside Europe. Canada has previously hosted the championships three times, with Montreal in 1974 and Hamilton in 2003.

The main event site will be located at the foot of Mount Royal on Avenue du Parc, between Avenue des Pins and Avenue du Mont-Royal. This area will serve as the start and finish points for races and will also host the Bonjour Montréal Fan Village. The site will be closed to vehicular traffic from September 5 to October 4 to accommodate setup and dismantling.

Anticipated traffic and transit impacts

Residents and visitors in Montreal should prepare for significant disruptions to traffic and public transit during the championships. The 13 races will impact streets in seven Montreal boroughs and one related municipality: Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Plateau-Mont-Royal, Le Sud-Ouest, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Outremont, Verdun, Ville-Marie, and Westmount. The elite women’s and men’s road races will begin at Quartier DIX30 in Brossard, cross the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge, and conclude on Avenue du Parc.

During race week, road closures will be dynamic, moving with the cyclists. Barriers will be installed along routes around 7 a.m., with streets generally reopening in the early evening, except for the main event site. The Bonaventure Expressway will also experience impacts, and the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge will be part of the elite road race routes on September 26 and September 27.

Public transit services will also see changes. Five STM bus routes—the 80 Du Parc, 97 Avenue du Mont-Royal, 129 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, 365 Du Parc, and 480 Express Du Parc—are expected to be particularly affected between September 4 and October 4. On the South Shore, RTL services will also be impacted, with additional measures planned for race weekend. Free parking will be available at Chevrier, with shuttle services to Quartier DIX30 during the September 26 and September 27 races.

Officials are encouraging residents to plan their travel in advance and consult the championship’s dynamic maps for real-time information. Joseph Limare, general manager of the Montreal 2026 UCI Road World Championships, described the event as an experience for citizens to enjoy. Jim Beis, responsible for security and prevention on Montreal’s executive committee, acknowledged that some inconvenience is unavoidable due to the event’s scale.

Canadian team selections and event details

Cycling Canada has announced its preliminary men’s selections for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships. The six riders chosen for the elite men’s road race are Derek Gee-West, Pier-André Côté, Hugo Houle, Michael Leonard, Michael Woods, and Nickolas Zukowsky. Of these, five are current professionals on WorldTour or ProTeam squads. Gee-West and Leonard are also selected for the individual time trial. Montreal’s Guillaume Boivin and Toronto’s Noah Ramsay are listed as the first two alternates for the elite men’s road race.

The Under-23 men’s road-race team includes Adam Smith, Jérôme Gauthier, Luke Valenti, and Jonas Walton. Smith and Walton are also selected for the Under-23 time trial. The selection for the elite women’s team is expected to be announced soon.

The event is being organized by the Montreal 2026 local organizing committee in collaboration with the UCI and Cycling Canada, with support from the City of Montreal, the governments of Quebec and Canada, Tourisme Montreal, and Tourisme Montérégie. The federal government has committed $13 million to support the championships, including $9.8 million through Sport Canada’s Hosting Program and $3.2 million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. All 13 races and the Bonjour Montréal Fan Village at Parc Jeanne-Mance will be free for spectators.

The final Mount Royal circuit will feature the Camillien-Houde climb, the Polytechnique climb, and an uphill finish on Avenue du Parc.

The 2026 UCI Road World Championships will run from September 20 to September 27.

Source: montreal.citynews.ca