September 28, 2026 - (Montreal, Que.) On Saturday, Sept. 26, following the Elite Women’s road race, over 150 former athletes, organizers, administrators, and supporters gathered for an “Evening With Legends” to celebrate the Montreal 2026 UCI Road World Championships, and to reconnect and reflect on the past 50 years of cycling.

Built on the success of the Tour de la Nouvelle-France and Tour du Saint-Laurent in the 1960s, Montreal hosted the 1974 World Cycling Championships. Two years later, the city once again opened its doors to the world, hosting the 1976 Summer Olympic Games. From that momentum, cycling in Quebec and Canada exploded, launching generations of development and growth in all areas of the sport of cycling.

Bike racing flourished across Canada during the 1970s, 1980s and beyond, and Quebec was at the heart of that success. Fast forward to 2026, and the UCI Road World Championships returned to Montreal as testimony to the success of the sport of cycling in Canada.

The “Evening With Legends” celebration was organized by Gervais Rioux, his wife Linda West, and John and Nadia Large, and was held beside Cycles Gervais Rioux on Rue Parc, by the start/finish line of the Road World Championships. All proceeds support the Eric Van Den Eynde Foundation for the development of U23 riders. Here’s a selection of photos from the evening celebrations.