Montreal's 29th Tour de l'Ile takes the scenic route

More than 25,000 cyclists hit the road this morning despite the rain for the 29th edition of Montreal’s Tour de l’Île.

This year, cyclists had the choice between five routes: 25 km, 50 km, 50 km Express, 100 km Discovery and 100 km Express.

The 200 people who chose the 100 km Express had to roll at an average speed of 28 km/hour along their riverside route; those who opted for the 90-minute 50 km Express had to move at 30 km/h through closed-off downtown streets.

All paths lead back to the Olympic Park in the city’s east end, where everyone’s expected to return by 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The Tour de l’Île also brought with it extensive road closures all over the island of Montreal, causing headaches for motorists.

The longest route takes cyclists all around the island starting at Iberville Street and stretching to the western tip of the island.

Watch the 11 p.m. news tonight for reporter Leah Hendry’s story on the popular event.