Montreal, Sunday, June 2, 2024 - At 4:35 p.m. today, the Go vélo Montréal Festival came to an end as the last participants arrived at Parc Jeanne-Mance for the Tour de l’Île de Montréal. Sunshine, festivities, entertainment, encouragement from volunteers and residents along the routes, and more than 38,000 cyclists were on hand for this 2024 edition!
Highlights
1 challenge, 1 conference, 2 rounds + thousands of happy cyclists and volunteers = a great success!
On Sunday, May 26, 2,800 cyclists from Terrebonne kicked off the Festival by taking part in the 22e edition of the Metropolitan challenge, the first cycling event of the season. They took to the roads and bike paths to explore the beautiful Lanaudière region.
At dusk on Friday, May 31, 17,000 cyclists lit up the metropolis for the 25e Tour la Nuit. The atmosphere was literally festive, all the way to the finish line! The night-time event was once again a huge success, particularly among young people, who accounted for over a third of participants.
For its 39e edition, the Tour de l’Île de Montréal offered a choice of 4 experiences: a «regular» route of 28 or 50 km, and a «discovery» circuit of 68 or 96 km. The event, which attracted 18,000 cyclists, closed the Go vélo Montréal Festival.
- From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., participants on the discovery trail set off at their own pace. An early start on a marked route not closed to traffic. They circumnavigated the western part of Montreal Island, skirting Lake of Two Mountains and the St. Lawrence River.
- Shortly after 9:15 a.m., the festive start of the classic Tour de l'Île Montréal took place in the southwest of the city, on streets closed to motorized traffic. Celebrations continued all along the route and at the finish site, where surprises, fun, shows and entertainment awaited the cyclists, much to their delight.
The 1,700 volunteers have made a dynamic contribution to the Festival's success. Affectionately known as «bénévélos», they brought a magical, warm and indispensable touch to the event!
International Conference « The cargo bike: vehicle of the future »
The Go vélo Montréal Festival is a forum for brainstorming and reflection on key cycling issues. This year, Vélo Québec welcomed Marie-Astrid Leray, founder of the Waffle Bike and co-president of Boîtes à Vélo France, as guest speaker. On this occasion, she discussed the potential of cargo bikes as a promising and versatile alternative to motorized transport, offering an efficient solution for the mobility of people and goods, and bicycle entrepreneurship. Inspiring ideas for Quebec! In fact, a campaign promoting the use of cargo bikes as a mobility tool for families will be rolled out across Quebec starting June 8.
A date in 2025
The next edition of the Go vélo Montréal Festival will take place from May 25 to May 1.er June 2025. This will be the occasion to celebrate the 40the anniversary of Tour de l’Île de Montréal.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all our partners, to the thousands of cyclists and volunteers, to our extraordinary spokesperson, actress and host Julie Ringuette, and to the residents and shopkeepers of the neighbourhoods crossed by the routes, who made this great collective celebration so unique!
