15,000 cyclists are expected at the Tour de l’Île; some streets are closed in Montreal

The annual event is held from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, while the streets of Plateau-Mont-Royal, Rosemont – La-Petite-Patrie, Outremont, Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce , Sud-Ouest, Verdun, Ville-Marie and Westmount will be freed to build a 36-kilometer circuit reserved for bicycles.

The president and CEO of Vélo Québec, Jean-François Rheault, is already feeling “huge enthusiasm” from the population, he said in a telephone interview.

The great cycling mass did not take place in 2020 and the number of participants needs to be limited to 9,000 by 2021. But this year, “we expect more than 15,000 participants” and registrations are still open.

The Tour la Nuit, which took place on Friday night, attracted “more than 18,000 people”, he rejoiced. “People are really happy to be able to do this as a family, grandparents with grandchildren […] for many people it is a tradition. “

People who want to travel to Montreal between 8:45 am and 4 pm Sunday will have every interest in preparing their itinerary accordingly, Mr. Rheault warned. To do this, a map and a list of closed streets are available on the Vélo Québec website. The organization has also partnered with the Waze application to provide real-time information on traffic conditions.

A ticket costs $ 50 for an adult and $ 10 for a youth ages 13 to 17. Children 12 and under can participate for free.

Celebrate the bike

“The most interesting thing for us at Tour de l’Île is the families and the kids, the smiles, the happy people, there to celebrate and it’s really a party, It’s It’s really festive, accessible to all, ”explained Mr. Rheault.

According to him, the Tour de l’Île makes it possible to “experience the city on a human level in a festive atmosphere to reclaim public space”. Right in the middle of the street and away from the noise of cars, you can “see the city in a different way” and appreciate the architecture of the buildings from a completely new point of view.

“All these people on the street to celebrate cycling, it’s really a unique moment,” he said.

Also, riding a bike in the city can be intimidating for many, when “there are always people who don’t feel safe”. So experimenting with a safe course can help build confidence, he said, arguing that “what participants say is after Around the Island they bike more”.