In September, the Bike for Europe Tour 2018 will see two teams of cyclists embark on simultaneous journeys across Europe. Their mission is to promote cycling as a form of transport and physical activity, while also highlighting how international co-operation can be strengthened through sport.
On September 1, a North Route Team will start in Drenthe, the Netherlands, while a South Route Team will depart from Thessalonki, Greece. The riders will eventually meet in the middle of Europe, in Vienna (Austria), on 22 September. Passing through 11 countries in total, each team will ride roughly 1750km. Along the way they will take part in events and activities in local communities to share a positive message in favour of cycling in all forms.
UCI Bike Cities roll out the red carpet
As a project partner, the UCI’s Cycling for All team is delighted that a number of UCI Bike Cities and Regions will be welcoming the North Route Team on its journey. The riders will roll out from UCI Bike Region Drenthe the day after joining in the Trappen Happen Stappen (Bike, Eat, Walk) tour: an event where participants can enjoy music, food and theatre, travelling between mini-events by bike. A press event will be held during the event to boost awareness of the Bike for Europe Tour.
The team’s epic journey will begin the next day. Starting from the same venue that hosts the Veldslag om Norg (Battle for Norg) mountain bike event, the team will be accompanied for the first part of their journey by some 2000 riders. As they cycle through Drenthe, members of the region’s clubs, prominent politicians and other personalities will join the Bike For Europe team.
Leaving one UCI Bike Region for another, the riders will travel into Gelderland, stopping off in Apeldoorn and Arnhem to meet local partners.
A couple of days later, on September 4, they will reach UCI Bike City Woensdrecht where they will be greeted by the local cycling club and visit the city’s cycling academy.
After travelling into Belgium, the riders will return to the Netherlands, entering UCI Bike Region Limburg-Valkenburg. Arriving in Sittard on 7 September, they will visit the Tom Dumoulin Bike Park to meet with professional cyclists. They will then join the start of the Ladies Bike Festival (7-9 September). The next day Bike For Europe riders will then continue on to the next country on their itinerary, Germany.
Open to all
Bike For Europe is an ideal opportunity for sports clubs, cycling advocates and others to encourage more cycling and physical activity. The organisers of Bike For Europe, the International Sport and Culture Association, encourage new or existing cycling events to connect with the Tour. Events can be registered here.
Supporters of the Tour also have the chance to participate in a Donate Your Kilometres challenge. So far over 2,700,000km have been contributed by over 6000 cyclists from 72 countries around the world. With a target of three million kilometres, riders are set to easily meet the goal set by Bike For Europe. These contributed kilometres will go directly towards buying 100 bicycles for Non-Governmental Organsations (NGO) working with refugees and others in need.
While the Tour will come to an end in Vienna on 22 September, celebration of cycling and physical activity will continue: the arrival of the riders will be part of the official opening of the European Week of Sport. This European initiative (September 23-30) sees events take place across the continent, encouraging people to take part in sport and be active.
You can follow Bike For Europe in September on social media using the hashtags #NowWeBike #BikeForEurope #BeActive and #CyclingForAll.
