What is the best way to come to Velo-city? By bicycle, of course! The representatives of two Danube Transnational Programme projects – SABRINA and Danube Cycle Plans – in collaboration with the EuroVelo coordinators and other partners and supporters have prepared a joint event ‘Cycling to Velo-city 2022 along the EuroVelo 9 route - promoting safe cycling in the Danube area’ under the slogan “Cooperation for more people cycling”.

Six days, 450 kilometers, 25 cyclists from 5 European countries (Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovenia) and 1 EuroVelo route. We followed the EuroVelo 9 route (map of our bike ride), which we have inspected for safety in the framework of the SABRINA project, connecting cities along the way and promoting the need for safer and more enjoyable cycling routes. Each partner of this joint event met their objectives through the ride from a different perspective but with a common goal. In the SABRINA project, we focused on road infrastructure safety for cyclists as one of the most vulnerable road users. Biking on the inspected routes from Vienna to Ljubljana showed user experience hand in hand with the results of the surveys. Moreover, the participants of the bike ride symbolically brought the goals of the Vienna Ministerial Declaration and the pan-European Masterplan for Cycling Promotion from Vienna, where it was adopted, to Ljubljana, where the world's largest cycling summit, Velo-city 2022, took place between 14 and 17 June. Amongst others, the goal of the Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion is to double the amount of cycling in the region by 2030.

Along the way, we met with the ministers and representatives of THE PEP (Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme), representatives of municipalities and tourism boards, cycling coordinators and NGOs, learning what they are doing to promote cycling and sharing with them the goals of the two projects (Danube Cycle Plans and SABRINA) and the economic benefits of the EuroVelo long-distance cycling connections.

The ride started in Vienna at the Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria, where Austrian Minister Leonore Gewessler and the CEO of the European Cyclists Federation Jill Warren signed the support for the goals of the European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion and set us on our journey. Along the way, we stopped in multiple municipalities and learned about local cycling developments, shared our knowledge and raised awareness of the importance of safe cycling infrastructure and promotion of cycling. Each visit was completed by the signature of the “letter of support”, where representatives of the municipalities and other institutions committed themselves symbolically to the goals of the Plan and do what was in their power to help reach it.

List of signatories of the support for the goals of the pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion:
• Leonore Gewessler, Minister of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria
• Jill Warren, CEO of European Cyclists Federation
• Jaroslav Vymazal, President of the Czech Partnership for Urban Mobility
• Herbert Janschka, Mayor of Wiener Neudorf
• Petra Haslinger, Chairperson of the Parliament Club, Baden
• Franz Dinhobl, Wiener Neustadt city council
• Marcus Martschitsch, Mayor of Hartberg
• Karl Lautner, Mayor of Bad Radkersburg
• Petra Pucko, director of municipal administration of Šentilj, on behalf of Štefan Žvab, Mayor of Šentilj
• Saša Arsenovič, Mayor of Maribor
• Uroš Rozman, Director of Regional Development Agency Podravje
• Breda Arnšek, Deputy Mayor of Celje on behalf of Mayor of Celje, Bojan Šrot
• Franci Rokavec, Mayor of Litija
• Janez Koželj, Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana

In addition to promoting cycling and the need for safer cycling infrastructure, the trip also aimed to gain personal experience for further work on two projects - Danube Cycle Plans and SABRINA. "As we have had the opportunity to experience the route for ourselves, the improvement of standards for safe and comfortable routes for daily use by people of all ages and abilities is still ahead of us. Creating quality infrastructure for cyclists will not be possible without the cooperation of the municipalities, regions and state," evaluated Gregor Steklačič from the Slovenian Ministry for the Infrastructure, the Slovenian National Cycling Coordinator and the Vice-Chair of the UNECE Group of Experts on Cycling Infrastructure Module. Slovenian Ministry for the Infrastructure is one of the project partners of the Danube Cycle Plans and the Associated Strategic Partner in the SABRINA project.

"The Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling promotion paves the way to a more cycling-friendly Europe. From THE PEP we welcome and support the initiatives of the European projects Danube Cycle Plans and SABRINA, as an important contribution to its implementation. European cooperation is the key to success, " added Robert Thaler, Vice Chairman of THE PEP.

The group of cyclists arrived in Ljubljana on Sunday 12 June, where we were welcomed by the Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana Janez Koželj, who is also the ambassador of the project Danube Cycle Plans. "The slogan of the World Cycling Summit Velo-city 2022 in Ljubljana is »Cycling the Change« while butterflies are the logo of the event. They are symbols of inspiring transformation, endurance, hope, life and change for the better," said Janez Koželj in his welcoming speech. As he further concluded: "…when we cycle, we are changing ourselves, our surroundings, and our environment; by our presence on roads and bikes we influence public opinion."

Photogallery (photos Jan Hajšen):
• DAY 1 (Kick-off + Wien - Wiener Neudorf)
• DAY 2 (Neudort - Bad Radkesburg) 
• DAY 3 (Bad Radkesburg-Maribor)
• DAY 4 (Maribor-Celje)
• DAY 5 (Celje-Dolsko)
• DAY 6 (Dolsko-Ljubljana)

Video with the highlights from the event is available HERE (author Jan Hajšen). 

The bike ride wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria and the Slovenian Ministry for the Infrastructure, together with local partners Radlobby Österreich, Radlobby ARGUS Steiermark and Radkompetenz Österreich and Slovenian Cycling Network.