Montréal 2026 has unveiled the 13 official courses for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships. The highlight of the road races will be Mount Royal, with its demanding climb and 13.4 km circuit—52 years after Eddy Merckx and Geneviève Gambillon were crowned there during the first-ever UCI Road World Championships held outside Europe.
KIGALI, Rwanda, Sept. 26, 2025 /CNW/ - The local organizing committee today presented all the official courses of the UCI Road World Championships Montréal 2026, which will take place from September 20 to 27, 2026. At the heart of the routes: a challenging 13.4 km circuit around Mount Royal, the defining feature of the road races.
The announcement was made in Kigali, Rwanda, during the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, in the presence of a Montréal 2026 delegation joined by dignitaries from Québec and Canada.
The two Elite road races will start in Brossard, Montérégie, before passing through seven other municipalities in the region and crossing the Samuel De Champlain Bridge to reach the final Mount Royal circuit. Riders will face several major challenges, including the Camillien-Houde climb (2.3 km at a 6.2% average gradient), the Polytechnique climb with sections over 11%, and the uphill false flat on Parc Avenue—the common finish line for all 13 events.
Video: Elite Women's Road Race Course
Video: Elite Men's Road Race Course
The time trials will take on the same 39.9 km circuit around Montréal, featuring the Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit and Parc Jean-Drapeau, before crossing the Concorde Bridge into the city centre.
Video: All Four Time Trial Courses
With these courses, Montréal 2026 aims to combine sporting excellence with a showcase of the region's beauty: rivers, mountains, orchards, and urban landscapes will provide a unique setting, reflecting both the city's international outlook and its proud local roots.
The UCI Road World Championships will be the city's largest sporting event since the 1976 Olympic Games, with 13 events (time trials, road races, and mixed relay), bringing together nearly a 1,000 cyclists across Juniors, under 23 years old, and Elite categories, men and women alike.
On Sunday, during the closing ceremony of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, Mr. David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) will officially hand over the UCI flag to Mr. Joseph Limare, General Manager of Montréal 2026, Mr. Alain Vaillancourt, Executive Committee Member of the City of Montréal responsible for Public Security, and Ms. Mylène Gagnon, Vice-President, Sales and Convention Services at Tourisme Montréal. This highly symbolic gesture marks the transition from Kigali to Montréal and the official start of the countdown to September 2026.
COMPLETE EVENT PROGRAM
Sunday September 20
- Women's elite individual time trial 39,9 km – 195 m elevation
- Men's elite individual time trial 39,9 km – 195 m elevation
Monday September 21
- Men's under 23 individual time trial 32,1 km – 175 m elevation
- Women's under 23 individual time trial 20,2 km – 131 m elevation
Tuesday September 22
- Men's juniors individual time trial 20,2 km – 131 m elevation
- Team time trial mixed relay 40,4 km – 262 m elevation
- Women's juniors individual time trial 11 km – 89 m elevation
Thursday September 24
- Women's under 23 road race 134 km – 10 tours – 2650 m elevation
- Men's juniors road race 134 km – 10 tours – 2650 m elevation
Friday September 25
- Men's under 23 road race 174,2 km – 13 tours – 3 445 m elevation
- Women's juniors road race 80,4 km – 6 tours – 1590 m elevation
Saturday September 26
- Women's elite road race 180 km – 72,8 km course + 8 laps of 13,4 km – 2502 m elevation
Sunday September 27
- Men's elite road race 273,2 km – 112,4 km + 12 laps of 13,4 km – 3720 m elevation
The UCI Road World Championships are organized by the UCI and the Montréal 2026 Local Organizing Committee, with the financial and technical support of the City of Montréal, the Governments of Québec and Canada, Tourisme Montréal, and Tourisme Montérégie.
QUOTES
"The unveiling of the courses for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal marks a key milestone in preparing for what promises to be an exceptional event. Building on its experience with the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, the City reaffirms its commitment to strengthening its status as a global cycling hub. The courses presented will not only provide a spectacular showcase of the metropolis's assets but will also inspire its residents to embrace the joys and benefits of cycling over the long term. I am delighted that the UCI Road World Championships will be held in Montréal in 2026—11 years after our flagship annual event last came to North America, and 33 years after it was last hosted in Canada."
– Mr. David Lappartient, President, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
"We are proud to finally unveil all the courses for the UCI Road World Championships Montréal 2026: 13 events covering nearly 1,180 km across 9 municipalities, designed in close collaboration with all stakeholders. These routes embody accessibility, inclusivity, and the richness of our region. The UCI Road World Championships are already shaping up to be a milestone in the history of world cycling, creating unforgettable memories and leaving a lasting legacy for Montréal, Québec, and Canada."
– Mr. Joseph Limare, General Manager, Local Organizing Committee, UCI Road World Championships Montréal 2026
"We are proud to welcome the 2026 UCI Road World Championships. This will be a unique opportunity to showcase Greater Montréal while marking the 50th anniversary of the Montréal Olympic Games. The public will be able to attend this prestigious competition free of charge, as the world's best male and female cyclists gather here. It will also be a golden opportunity to highlight our city, its businesses, its parks, and its attractions. In addition to offering top-level sporting action, the event will leave lasting legacies—such as resurfacing the Seaway route—while generating major economic benefits."
– Mr. Alain Vaillancourt, Member of the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal, Responsible for Public Security
"This will be a historic moment for Montréal! Hosting the 2026 UCI Road World Championships—the largest sporting event in our city since the 1976 Olympic Games—will be a tremendous honour and an exceptional global showcase. It will be a celebration of our passion for sport, our legendary hospitality, and our deep connection to Mount Royal. For one week, the eyes of the world will be on Montréal. This is a unique opportunity to energize the city, showcase our destination, and generate major benefits for the entire tourism ecosystem."
– Mr. Yves Lalumière, President and CEO, Tourisme Montréal
"We are very proud to host part of the races on our territory. This participation represents a unique opportunity to highlight the richness and diversity of Montérégie and to connect it with the prestige of major international sporting events."
– Mr. Mario Leblanc, General Manager, Tourisme Montérégie
ABOUT
MONTRÉAL 2026
Montréal 2026 is the local organizing committee of the UCI Road World Championships. Building on the experience gained since 2010 with the organization of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal—the only UCI WorldTour races in the Americas—the committee brings its expertise to the service of a world-class event. It also manages TV production and the international broadcast signal, helping showcase Montréal and cycling worldwide. montreal2026.org
UNION CYCLISTE INTERNATIONALE
Founded on April 14, 1900, in Paris, France, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body of cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms and for everyone—as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, and a means of transport and leisure. The UCI manages and promotes 11 cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling, cycling esports, gravel, and snow bike. Five of these are on the Olympic program (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, and BMX Freestyle), and two on the Paralympic program (road and track). More info: uci.org
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SOURCE Tourisme Montréal
CONTACT - Maude Lapointe, Americas Media, 1-438-390-6669, [email protected]
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