Photo: Sport Year Foundation. Champion cyclist Kalju Koch, Secretary General of Estonian Cyclists’ Federation, Urmas Karlson and leader of Estonian Year of Sports and Physical Activity, Aivo Normak

MOVE Week 2013 embraced hundreds of different activities with the common goal of getting people to adopt a more active lifestyle. Cycling stood out as one of the most predominant forms of physical activity based on its unique trait of combining daily exercise and fun with an inexpensive and sustainable means of transportation.

Cycling is growing in popularity at a pan-European level as almost 1 out of 4 events was either completely dedicated to bikes or involved some form of cycling. Kevin Mayne, Development Director of the European Cyclists’ Federation, one of the main partners of NowWeMove, says: “Cycling is one of the most important ways we can incorporate physical activity into our daily lives. 35 million Europeans already cycle regularly, the popularity of cycling in NowWeMove shows that there is huge enthusiasm to hit our target of doubling that number by 2020.”

The figures are of course impressive but what really captivated the multidimensional effects of cycling are the actual stories from events that took place during MOVE Week. From mountain bike lessons in Bulgaria to campaigning for road safety in Estonia and encouraging cycling as a daily and leisure activity in Greece, the variety was wide and addressed different needs and levels of intensity. We’ve collected some of the 300 cycling events of MOVE Week to give you a small taste. Pedal away!

Bulgaria: Bike lessons for children in Plovdiv and leisure cycling in Rhodopes

What is one of the most fun ways to get moving? Riding a bike is! It is also one of the best ways to get in touch with nature and lead a healthier lifestyle. Members of the Bulgarian mountain bike club “Kriva Spitza” know that quite well! To spread their message and get people moving in the city of Plovdiv, they hosted not one but four events during MOVE Week. Starting with free mountain bike lessons at the two specially designed bike parks (yes, the city has two bike parks, both built by the members of the club!), then continuing with a bike race for kids in one of the city’s parks and finishing up strong with a mountain bike trip for beginners in the beautiful Rhodope mountains, the “Kriva Spitza” bike club seized the great opportunity to use the MOVE Week platform to reach a greater audience and pass on their passion for cycling.

Estonia: Athletes and politicians cycle for road safety

During MOVE Week a VIP- Cycling Tour helped to raise awareness in the construction of a bike road between Narva and Narva-Jõesuu. Narva is the third largest city of Estonia and has the potential to host a beautiful riverside bike road. During the event, there was a symbolic traffic sign put up at both ends of the route,  showing support for the construction of the bicycle road.

Among others, the claim was supported by the legendary cyclist Kalju Koch, the governor of Ida- Virumaa Andres Noormägi as well as representatives of different communities and cities.
The construction of the Narva— Narva- Jõesuu bicycle road (15 km) has been an issue for several years, but it has not lead to any concrete actions.  Sportcapital 2013 Ida- Virumaa leader Ott Pärna stated that cycling and sport fans have decided to raise the issue again. Through this event they supported the immediate construction of this bicycle road, which connects approx. 80 000 people, for several reasons:

• Health: construction of this road gives Narva, Vaivara and Narva- Jõesuu residents a possibility to be physically active and replace trips by car with commuting by bicycle.
• Safety: Narva— Narva- Jõesuu— Hiiemetsa highway in unsafe due to several curves and turns. Creating a bicycle road next to the highway is a safe solution for adults and kids who could cycle to Narva for school and work.
• Economy: Narva, together with Narva- Jõesuu, has the potential to develop into prosperous economic and social centres. The better these two areas are connected, the faster the development could be for both these regions.

The governor of Ida- Virumaa Andres Noormägi is a passionate supporter of bicycle road construction.  He states that the construction of this bicycle road should be a common and necessary project for the communities. ’’We have to make the construction of this bicycle road our common goal. The campaign for the creation of the Narva- Narva- Jõesuu bicycle road could be a flagship for other initatives like this.“

As a participant of this cycling event, Estonian Cyclist Union Secretary General Urmas Karlson promised to prioritize the creation of the cycle road.

Greece: Injection of cycling into daily living

Many cycling events took place in Greece during MOVE Week. In the northern part and the city of Komotini three different bike rides were organized by the cycling club “On Bikes”. One of them was a “critical mass” event, during which a small group of cyclists (approximately 20 people) attempted to introduce the harmonious cohabitation between bikes and other means of transport in the city. The second was a typical bike ride in the outskirts of the city illustrating the fun part of cycling as a way to socialize and exercise with the participation of more than fifty people. The third bike ride was entitled Free(i)day and its goal was to promote cycling via a large number of participants at a slower pace. During the ride there was open talk about the road traffic codes. In Athens, the club “Tandem Bikes” organized an event to make cycling more accessible for people with disabilities. In the cities of Volos and Lamia in Central Greece as well as in the island of Zakynthos located in the Ionian Sea, more than 300 people were invited to relish the joys of cycling after finishing their everyday activities. Adding cycling after a heavy schedule aimed at creating a new habit and showing everyone how easy it is to incorporate one hour of physical exercise into their daily schedule.