Montreal cycling world championships: What to know as road closures raise concerns

at 6:00 a.m. Last Updated: September 9, 2026 at 3:07 p.m. Montreal has said this month’s UCI Road World Championships will bring some of the worst traffic disruptions the city has seen, and Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada has warned the congestion is “going to be hell.”

Residents and businesses, meanwhile, have raised concerns about how the event and resulting closures will disrupt their day-to-day lives.

With the races starting in less than two weeks, here’s an overview of what to expect.

Montreal has framed the cycling championships as a chance to show it can host the world’s biggest sporting events.

Scheduled for Sept. 20 to 27, the event will see 1,000 cyclists from 80 countries compete in races throughout the city and the South Shore.

The races will run along 36 kilometres of city streets across seven boroughs , closing many roads — including busy thoroughfares like Notre-Dame St.