Over 15,000 cyclists take over Montreal streets for Tour de l’Île with an Olympic twist

“One of the best things about the city,” says Stephanie, one of thousands who took over Montreal streets for the Tour de l’Île on Sunday. Johanie Bouffard reports

By Johanie Bouffard

Posted May 31, 2026 3:54 pm.

Last Updated May 31, 2026 5:56 pm.

Over 15,000 cyclists took over the streets of Montreal Sunday for an Olympic-themed Tour de l’Île to mark 50 years since the city hosted the games.

Shortly after 9 a.m., thousand cyclists made their way to the starting line at Parc Jarry, rolling through the boroughs of Rosemont, Villeray, Plateau, Ville-Marie, Cote-des-Neiges-NDG, Sud-Ouest and Ville-Marie. There were music and fun activities for all ages across the boroughs.

For those who wanted more of a challenge, organizers also offered 65- or 90-kilometre routes, stretching out toward Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue on the western edge of the island.

“If you’ve never ridden a long distance, an event like this is perfect because you can learn that riding 50 kilometers is not that hard,” Jean-Francois Rheault, CEO of Vélo Québec, which organized the event. “You can do that in a safe and secured context and that’s why so many people are interested with the event.”

*Thousands of cyclists biked across several boroughs with car-free streets, music and fun activities for families during Tour de l’île on May 31, 2026 (Johanie Bouffard, CityNews)*

Participants told CityNews that the event is something they look forward to every year.

For Annie Wilson, it’s her third time participating in the event.

“I decided because soon I’m going to be retiring and I just wanted to prove to myself I could do it yet again,” Wilson said. “The energy every time we come here is fantastic and I get so pumped up.”

“I’ve done this pretty much seven out of the 10 years I’ve been in Montreal,” said Stephanie, another participant. “I appreciate the event. It’s like one of the best things about the city.”

Christine Borrelli, who was cycling with her nephew Jadon, said the event was also a family experience.

“I used to do it every year with my husband and I wanted my nephew to live the experience,” Borrelli said. “The kids can get some medals. They get chocolate milk, snacks, photos, pictures. So yeah, that’s part of the experience too.”

*Traffic was re-routed on many streets in Montreal for the annual *Tour de l’île* on May 31, 2026 (Johanie Bouffard, CityNews)*

To mark 50 years since the 1976 Montreal Olympics, this year’s Tour de l’Île had stops where four iconic moments took place all those years ago, with an Olympic booth at the finish line.

“We have a scavenger hunt for kids. They’ll be able to collect sticker medals. We also have fun facts along the way on some sites that are not well known by the public where we had the first Canadian medal,” Rheault explained.

At the finish line, participants were welcomed with the traditional chocolate milk, and food.