MONTREAL – At least 30,000 cyclists have taken to the streets of Montreal as part of the 30th annual Tour de l'Ile.

Cyclists on Sunday could choose from six different courses and distances, including a 25-kilometre trek, the 50-kilometre classic or the 130-kilometre distance ride. Events started at 7 a.m. at La Fontaine Park, rounding up in the afternoon at Jeanne-Mance Park.

More than 2,600 volunteers put in their time to help ensure the event runs smoothly.

While the Tour de l'Ile is a delight for cyclists – Montreal has a reputation for an avid cycling community, and the event brings in enthusiasts from all over.

"Tour de l'Ile is now in the DNA of Montreal. So now it's like the Boston Marathon or New York Marathon," said Vélo Québec CEO Joëlle Sevigny.

The event is also meant to insipre more people to use bikes.

"We want to get people to rediscover cycling. It's a great sport and it's great to get the kids off the couch," said actress and spokesperson for Vélo Québec, Catherine-Anne Toupin.

The event can be a nightmare, however, for drivers, since many streets and intersections are closed. They will reopen gradually throughout the day.

The Tour de l'Ile is taking place at a time when tensions seem to have escalated in recent weeks between motorists and cyclists. Several serious collisions have taken place, the most serious of which left a young woman dead after colliding with a truck while cycling through a tunnel on St. Denis St. in Rosemont.

Mayor Denis Coderre said the city is adding more bike lanes and working on other measures to protect cyclists.

"We already added 50 kilometres this year. It's going to be 50 kilometres each year. Sometimes it's not just to add more lanes, it's to make sure that we have a good street where people understand that we live together and that the street belongs to everybody," he said.

According to Sevigny, city infrastructure needs to be redesigned to improve the relationship between bikes, cars and pedestrians.

They each have their place, said Sevigny, adding that we can’t question the presence of cyclists in the city – many people use this mode of transport to get around.