There is a major international cycling event coming to Montreal next month and the city is warning residents to get ready for major traffic disruptions. The world’s best cyclists will be in Montreal to compete at the UCI Road World Championships from Sept. 20 to 27. Officials say the city hasn’t hosted a cycling event like this since 1974. “This is an incredible event. The last time that we had a cycling event, the world champions in that matter was 52 years ago, if I’m not mistaken,” said Jim Beis, the member of the city’s executive committee who is responsible for public security. Despite all the excitement, there are a lot of road closures to look out for, starting with Parc Avenue between Pine and Mount-Royal. That stretch of road will be the main site of the event and will be completely closed between Sept. 7 and Oct. 4. It’s not the only major shut down. The Champlain Bridge will be closed towards Montreal on Sept. 26 and 27. The Bonaventure will be closed towards downtown from Sept. 19 to 22. Some streets will only be closed temporarily and then reopened once the riders go through, Beis explained. There are so many road closures that the city is asking citizens to plan their travel by visiting an interactive map on the Montreal2026.org website. It shows road closures for each day. Traffic analyst Rick Leckner says people should be using it. Event organizers say some Montrealers will only have to open their windows to watch the race. “It’s an experience. It’s not something destructive. It’s an experience for all the citizens to be able to enjoy the races,” said Joseph Limare, general manager of UCI Road World Championships. With so many closures on and off the island, residents are being advised to take the metro when possible because several bus lines will also be affected.
