Big news for the Montréal sports community! Montréal has been awarded the UCI World Road Cycling Championships. The race will take place from September 20-27, 2026. It will be organized by the promoter of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, with additional support from Cycling Canada.
The year of the race (2026) is notable. This cycling competition will be among several major events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the biggest sports event in the history of the city: the 1976 Summer Olympics. In short, it’s going to be a massive year for Montréal.
History will be written, again
Dating back to 1921, the UCI World Road Cycling Championships is the annual world championships for bicycle road racing. The world championships are located in a different city or region every year. The event can be held over a relatively flat course (which favours cycling sprinters) or a hilly course (which favours climbing specialists). In each case, the course is usually held on a circuit where competitors complete multiple laps.
This is the second time Montréal has hosted the event. Notably, we hosted the first edition of the championships that took place outside Europe — the now legendary Mount Royal circuit in 1974. And while no route for 2026 has been announced yet, we suspect that the organizers might take advantage of the stunning Mount Royal Park once again!
Big numbers
The event will consist of six time-trials and five road races, featuring 1000 athletes in junior, U23, and elite events. More than 500,000 spectators are expected to generate upwards of $170 million in economic spinoff for Québec and more than $210 million for Canada.
The mayor of Montréal herself was quick to welcome the event...
Cheat sheet
Event: 2026 UCI World Road Cycling Championships
Dates: 20 – 27 September 2026
Venue: Across the city
Website: https://gpcqm.ca
Twitter: @GPCQM
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