The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) – the Federation's training and education centre in Aigle, Switzerland – are proposing several activities to mark World Bicycle Day on 3 June.
Observed on the same date every year since 2018, the United Nations’ World Bicycle Day promotes cycling as a simple, accessible, healthy and environmentally-friendly activity. As is the tradition, the UCI and the UCI WCC will encourage people of all ages and fitness levels around the world to join the celebration.
Global activations
On an international scale, throughout the 24 hours of Wednesday 3 June, UCI Official Partner MyWhoosh will propose a series of World Bicycle Day virtual events on its free-of-charge platform. To allow cyclists to participate in one or more of these events regardless of their time zone, a start will be given every hour for 24 hours on routes mapped out on different MyWhoosh virtual environments:
0:00 (UTC): Switzerland - Heart of Switzerland - 25.7km with 111m of elevation gain
1:00 (UTC): Japan - Edo Circuit 25km with 135m of elevation gain
2:00 (UTC): Arabia - Desert pearls - 24.2km with 119m of elevation gain
3:00 (UTC): Belgium - Kluisbergen - 24.04km with 138m of elevation gain
4:00 (UTC): Canada - Montréal (UCI Worlds Road Circuit 2026) 2 laps - 26.6km with 495m of elevation gain
5:00 (UTC): Hudayriyat - Hudayriyat Ascend (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) - 33.2km with 234m of elevation gain.
The same sequence will then be repeated from 6am until the last ride of the day (23:00 - midnight).
During the event, participants' avatars will wear a jersey specially designed for World Bicycle Day.
The UCI invites all members of the cycling family to organise a local cycling event of any kind on 3 June and share photo and video content from their activities. The UCI will produce a highlights video of World Bicycle Day featuring selected content from these events around the world. Photos and raw video footage, in landscape format with a minimum resolution of 1080p, can be shared via a cloud link and sent to [email protected]. A communication toolkit is available to help create footage, which must be submitted by Thursday 4 June at 18h00 CEST.
To enable the UCI’s social media team to amplify local events and activations, organisers are invited to use the hashtag #WorldBicycleDay2026 and the following tags when posting online:
Facebook: @UCI
Instagram: @uci_cycling
LinkedIn: @Union Cycliste Internationale
X: @UCI_cycling
TikTok: @uci_cycling.
Activities in Aigle and elsewhere in Switzerland
Locally in Aigle, the public will be invited to take part in a leisurely bike ride starting from the UCI WCC at 11:30am on 3 June. It will be possible to choose from two routes: a slightly hilly 34km circuit through the Chablais region, or a mainly flat 13km ride along the Rhône. Participants will include UCI WCC athletes as well as UCI staff members. Showers and changing rooms are available for all taking part, and the event will be followed by a large barbecue organised by the UCI WCC restaurant, ‘Le Vélodrome’. For more information and to register for the ride, please click here. Registration closes at noon on 31 May.
The UCI WCC will also host activities for schools in the region: students will be able to discover the UCI WCC pump track and take part in a Ride & Learn workshop. This cycling learning method was developed by the UCI WCC in collaboration with Peace and Sport. The workshop will take place in the presence of Marlène Nidecker, Peace & Sports Ambassador and taekwondo Olympic medallist (bronze at the London Olympic Games in 2012).
In the Swiss city of Geneva, the UCI is organising a short afternoon bike ride, together with the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations in Geneva, the United Nations of Geneva, the city of Geneva, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pro Velo Suisse. It will take participants from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to the giant Broken Chair wooden sculpture at the Place des Nations.
UCI President David Lappartient said: "As the world governing body for cycling, the Union Cycliste Internationale places a great deal of importance on the promotion of bike riding as an environmentally-friendly means of transport and a healthy leisure activity. The United Nations World Bicycle Day is an ideal occasion to reinforce the message that cycling is for everyone – from professional competitive riders to those using their bikes to commute, get to the shops, or meet up with friends. Together with the UCI World Cycling Centre, the UCI is pleased to provide a range of possibilities for people around the world to be part of World Bicycle Day and experience the joy of riding their bikes.”