Tour de l'Île to roll through Montreal's east end this weekend
Arterial roadways like Notre-Dame, Sherbrooke, Gouin to be blocked to cars on Sunday
It's that time of the year again. Cyclists will rule the streets of Montreal this weekend as its annual bike festival gets underway.
About 40,000 cyclists are expected to participate in the 40th Festival Go Vélo Montreal, split pretty evenly between the Tour la Nuit on Friday night and Tour de l'Île on Sunday.
This year's 1980s theme will pay homage to the festival's beginning in 1985, says Vélo Québec CEO Jean-François Rheault. The organization is encouraging participants to wear their most colourful clothes to travel the streets of the city.
Nearly 2,900 people took part in the Metropolitan Challenge last Sunday on the South Shore, the first stage of the cycling festival.
The Tour de l'Île offers a choice of two routes: the 50 kilometre or the 70 to100 kilometre — both of which start in Maisonneuve Park this year and largely explore the east end.
The route is closed to car traffic throughout the event, following arterial roadways like Notre-Dame and Sherbrooke streets, as well as Gouin Boulevard.
Road closures will begin at roughly 8:30 a.m. and wrap up by 4 p.m., with openings and closings staggered throughout the event.
In addition, Vélo Québec is once again offering a 22-kilometre nighttime ride in the boroughs of Saint-Léonard, Montréal-Nord and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie on Friday. Road closures begin around 5:30 p.m. and end by 11:30 p.m.
"It's a good time to make sure you're seen," said Rheault. "Put lights on your bike and on yourself. It creates a magical movement in the city — a kind of illuminated trail."
While it is true that Quebec's cycling culture has evolved considerably over the past few decades, the event's mission is still so relevant, said Rheault.
The various circuits closed to car traffic allow cyclists to ride with more peace of mind, but also to "reclaim the city," he added.
Several volunteers and police officers will ensure the event is held away from motorists.
Vélo Québec provides information to both cyclists and motorists on its website, providing interactive maps and scheduling.
Written by Isaac Olson with files from Radio-Canada's Ariane Émond