World Bicycle Day more than lived up to its name on 3 June, with members of the international cycling family organising events on all continents to celebrate the bicycle as a tool for sport, mobility and social connection.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) had called on its member National Federations and other stakeholders to organise local cycling events on 3 June and share images for a World Bicycle Day highlights video. The video has now been published on the UCI’s YouTube channel, featuring images from some of the 109 contributions received of events in 85 cities in 47 countries across five continents.
In addition, many more individuals, organisations and institutions shared their celebrations on their own social media.
From Swiss roads to the MyWhoosh platform
To mark World Bicycle Day, the UCI and its World Cycling Centre (WCC) also hosted a series of activities at a local level at their headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland.
A total of 180 children took part in introductions to BMX Racing and pump track, as well as in a Ride & Learn workshop. Developed by the UCI WCC in collaboration with Peace and Sport, Ride & Learn is an educational cycling programme combining skills on the bike with life skills.
The sessions took place in the presence of Marlène Nidecker, Peace and Sport Ambassador and Olympic medallist, whose participation provided an inspiring connection between sport and personal development.
Meanwhile, UCI staff members came together for a social lunchtime ride on the roads surrounding the UCI headquarters, further reinforcing the shared spirit of the day.
2026 World Bicycle Day also featured a strong digital component through the UCI’s Official Partner MyWhoosh, which hosted a series of virtual rides over a 24-hour period, enabling participants from all time zones to join the celebration.
A video, featuring the activities in Aigle and on MyWhoosh for World Bicycle Day, has also been published on the UCI’s YouTube channel.
UCI President David Lappartient welcomed the enthusiastic response to World Bicycle Day: “The UCI congratulates everyone who contributed to making this year’s World Bicycle Day a success. The scale and diversity of the activations once again demonstrate that cycling continues to play an important role in communities worldwide.”
As a reminder, the United Nations’ World Bicycle Day was launched in 2018 and is held on the same date every year to promote cycling as a simple, affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly means of transport, as well as a source of enjoyment and well-being.