Riders will enjoy some of the oldest and most mature trail networks in the world. British Columbia is world-renowned for its old-growth forests, moss and fern-covered forest floors, as well as beautiful ribbons of singletrack. Throughout the week, you will get to experience the best trails the areas have to offer. Long and punchy climbs followed by thrilling descents littered with roots, rocks, and berms, the legendary BC singletrack. Riders will rise to new heights of strength as they ride towards the coveted ‘Belt Buckle’, a symbol of athletic achievement – a Journey of a Lifetime.

The BC Bike Race is not just about the singletrack, it’s also about the camaraderie, the beers & the friendships that make this adventure a complete package, and as some say “the best week of my life”.

Hannah Barnes: A Race Like No Other
Hannah Barnes has traveled the world racing bikes. She’s experienced a lot of events and one has stood out for her. In this short video from Specialized, the Scotland-based racer shares why so many riders put BCBR on their bucket list and then return year after year.

“Usually with stage racing, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get going and motivate yourself for the day, but with this race, I would say absolutely not because it’s really good fun. You know you’re going to have a good day ahead of you.”

From the screaming chicken wake up call to the bacon hand ups on world class trails, fun is a priority for staff, volunteers and racers. As our co-founder Andreas Hestler says, it’s summer camp for adults.

The magical mix of good times and amazing trails continues with our 2024 edition and we can’t wait to once again welcome the world BC in 64 days. The countdown has started!

Alumni Story: From Why to Why Not?
What’s more epic than 7 days of single track in British Columbia? Nothing, according to alumni Kris Dimon from Arizona. When he first started riding, he couldn’t believe anyone would spend 7 days racing on technical trails. How perspectives can change with a few years of skill building!

Check out what else Kris had to say about his experience and read other alumni stories on our website.

Register here.

Expect the return of the 100k (P2A CENTO), 70k (P2A CLASSIC), and 45k (P2A BRÈVE) races. Including the famous mud pits and the notable climb to the finish sure to make crossing that finish line that more rewarding. Here, racers will be able to immerse themselves in the vigorous trails set by race directors John Thorpe and Tim Farrar.

Racers will start their journey in Paris and cycle to Ancaster in the classic race that began in 1994, over the roughest farm lanes, trails and gravel roads they could find. P2A was overwhelmed with positive feedback and continues to deliver the same memorable experiences year after year. With trails ranging from intensely immersive to more scenic routes, there is something for everyone.

Race Directors John Thorpe and Tim Farrar are excited about the races 30th anniversary and having Creemore Springs Brewery: “We’re so excited to be celebrating the race’s 30th anniversary, and we can’t believe how much it’s grown since its inception. Having Creemore Springs Brewery as the title sponsor this year, with their expertise in hospitality, and history of producing their own unique cycling event Turas Mor, will make this year’s 30th anniversary even more special.”

Heather Harding, Brand Manager at Creemore Springs Brewery explains their expertise is hospitality: “The word Creemore is a Gaelic word for big heart, and we are very fond of our neighbours, backyard, community, and welcoming people from all over to our small town. We’re excited to bring our big heart and our hospitality to Paris to Ancaster.”

Of course, any riders, regardless of the riding course, on any day can fundraise, donate and support St.Joe’s by signing up here.

In attendance will be some notable pros and race favorites confirmed for the upcoming event: Maghalie Rochette, Curtis White, Canadian Gravel Champions Devon Clarke and Evan Russell, and UCI Continental team Hustle Pro Cycling, which boasts a 7-rider team including 6 riders from the National Cyclocross team, World Cup mountain bike professional and 2-time winner Gunnar Holmgren, 2022 winner Mike van den Ham, and Ashlin Barry. Additionally, 11 of the 12 age group National Gravel Champions from 2023 are returning, with participants ranging in age from 17 to 65+.

Join us on April 28, 2024, to become part of the history of this unique race… visit here.

For Earth Day 2024 on April 22nd, EARTHDAY.ORG is unwavering in our commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040.

Navigate the EARTHDAY.ORG Global Event Map to effortlessly discover nearby initiatives – simply input your location and explore a world of impactful opportunities. If you’re organizing an event, click the button below to add it to the map.

Through various events, toolkits, and initiatives, we aim to raise awareness, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with nature. Let’s unite in our efforts to protect the Earth today and for generations to come. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and create a more sustainable world.

Our Mission
EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet.

Our world needs transformational change. It’s time for the world to hold sectors accountable for their role in our environmental crisis while also calling for bold, creative, and innovative solutions. This will require action at all levels, from business and investment to city and national government.

That’s where you come in: As an individual, you yield real power and influence as a consumer, a voter, and a member of a community that can unite for change.

Don’t underestimate your power. When your voice and your actions are united with thousands or millions of others around the world, we create a movement that is inclusive, impactful, and impossible to ignore.

Every Earth Day can drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to create a new plan of action for our planet.

Read more here.

For eight action-packed days, Montréal will be the epicentre of global cycling as it hosts an incredible sporting spectacle, unrivalled in scope in the city since the 1976 Olympics. Fans will thrill to the competition for free as the city’s streets welcome 1,000 of the world’s elite riders from more than 75 countries. Cycling’s fastest women and men will contest 13 events in all, riding with passion and racing for glory.

The UCI Road World Championships are one of the world’s most beloved sporting events, with a yearly global audience of over 250 million viewers in 150 countries. The 2026 edition promises to be an epic chapter in the history of the sport, leaving lasting memories and a legacy that will resonate for decades, inspiring cycling fans and riders in Montréal, Québec and the rest of Canada.

Taking respectful inspiration from the legacy of the 1974 World Cycling Championships, this new graphic* incarnation is a real journey through time, embracing the essence of this epic sports gathering and its Montréal connection while injecting a modern, dynamic edge to the visual identity.

Neck in neck, the riders turn the scene into a thrilling chase. The impression of movement morphs into one of speed, thanks to the slightly curved road and the choice of typeface that propels everything forward. The riders’ silhouettes also invite us to take a bird’s-eye view of the race. Lastly, at the heart of the action and symbolizing the passion of athletes and fans alike, the use of red evokes the World Cycling Championships historic first foray outside Europe, as well as Canada’s distinctive maple leaf, not to mention the colour of Montréal’s official logo.

Everything about the brand identity speaks to the excitement surrounding the return of this prestigious international event to our shores. It honours the rich tradition of cycling in Montréal, Québec and the rest of Canada, and promises an outpouring of emotion at the 2026 edition of the UCI Road World Championships.

“The brand identity reveal is always a special moment in the life of an organization, and we are especially proud of this made-in-Québec achievement,” says Sébastien Arsenault, president of the organizing committee. “We now have a unifying image and an array of platforms to communicate with the world cycling community and people in Montréal, and show everyone what our team is accomplishing to make this legendary event into a new chapter in our history.”

The UCI Road World Championships are being orchestrated by the organizing committee Mondiaux Montréal 2026, in close collaboration with cycling’s world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), assisted by Cycling Canada and the Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes (FQSC), and with financial and technical support from the City of Montréal, the governments of Québec and Canada, and Tourisme Montréal.

Taking place from 23 to 25 September in Viborg, Denmark, the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference is the largest yearly professional event gathering all actors involved in the cycling and tourism sectors. It stimulates knowledge and best practice transfer on EuroVelo, cycling tourism and cycle route networks at an international level.

This year’s theme is Legacy and Localhood. Legacy refers to the impact that large events – such as the Tour de France Grand Départ – and the valorisation of local heritage for tourism purposes can have on the economy, the community, and the use of the bicycle overall. Localhood, in turn, will explore how to involve and engage communities for more sustainable urban and rural development around cycle routes.

Three subthemes – Cycling towards local development, Engaging the locals, and Widening the horizon of cycling tourism – and a number of priority topics will help shape an enticing programme. Read more about the theme and subthemes in the dedicated section

The Call for Abstracts is open until Tuesday, 9 April 2024, 23:59 CEST

To learn more and Submit an abstract click here.

We look forward to receiving your abstract! For any questions about the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, the Call for abstracts and the submission platform, please contact Michael Andersen at ma@danishbiking.dk.

Join the Thrill at the Start Line! P2A Start Line Volunteers Needed!
Ready to kickstart the excitement and be at the heart of the action? We’re on the lookout for energetic volunteers to join us at the P2A Cento, Classic, and Brève start lines!

Sign up now using the 2024 P2A Volunteer Sign-Up Form: here or reach out to us at P2AVolunteer@gmail.com for more information.

P2A Bike Wash and New Hope Community Bikes
New Hope Community Bikes, a cycling education charity based in Hamilton, Ontario, is thrilled to take charge of the bike wash station for P2A. Proceeds from the bike wash directly support New Hope’s initiatives, focusing on cycling education, safety, rider fluency, and improving accessibility and affordability of bicycles.

Your purchase of a $10 bike wash not only keeps your wheels clean but also contributes to the impactful work of New Hope Community Bikes in Hamilton and throughout Ontario. After you purchase a Bike Wash Ticket you will receive an email where you will be able to download your e-ticket (which includes a QR code). This QR code is unique to your purchase and will be required for proof of purchase at the bike wash station.  Purchase a Bike Wash Ticket

We will take payment on Race Day of both cash or card as well. Bike wash closes at 4pm. Please collect your bike before then.

Preparing for the Paris to Ancaster Gravel Race
CycleSmart coaches Alec Donahue, Mike van den Ham, Jordan Villella, and Adam Myerson discuss the characteristics, equipment, clothing, nutrition, and tactics of P2A. The questions and analysis here are applicable to any gravel race you might do, as well as being specific for this unique event!

Register today here.

The first approach initiative, after the celebrations of the “100 Days,” will be the traveling journey of the Grand Départ Trophy, which began on March 22nd from Bologna, welcomed by the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini in a ceremony attended by former professional cyclists from Emilia-Romagna who took part in at least one edition of the “Grand Boucle” in their career.

On this occasion, the official jerseys (Yellow, Polka Dot, Green, and White) were also displayed, and a preview of the new creations dedicated to the “Grand Depart Italy” was presented.

The Grand Départ Trophy will move in the coming weeks to the stage cities, then return to Bologna with a stop in Turin and the last appearance in Piacenza. To complete the activity, during the period when the stage cities will host the Trophy, talk shows, themed events, meetings, and presentations with cycling authors will be organized, as well as the screening of a special documentary film, desired by the Emilia-Romagna Region, dedicated precisely to the grand departure and made in a year of work.

The celebrations dedicated to the Grand Depart will conclude on June 1st and 2nd with the “Fête de Tour” in the stage cities organized by the host communities, events that will involve direct participation of the local communities, with particular attention to young enthusiasts.

More on Tour de France 2024 Grand Depart in Emilia-Romagna here.

“Valencia has earned the Green Capital title because of its ambitious sustainability strategy, and it has learned from lessons in the past. For many decades, the city has been driven forward by a bold civic movement that sustains genuine change. People are Valencia’s asset. This year will enhance the experiences of citizens and support them even more in delivering the change we all need achieve for a better future,” said Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius.

Valencia’s motto is “On a Mission Together” and city authorities work with residents to reach their climate neutrality and environmental goals. With its strong emphasis on people, it effectively combines responses to environmental challenges with societal ones. This has made it a frontrunner in the transition to sustainability, and a source of inspiration for other European cities.

During a festive ceremony, María José Catalá, the Mayor of Valencia will receive the Green Book from Tiit Terik, deputy mayor of Tallinn, the 2023 European Green Capital.

The opening ceremony will be followed by a concert in the cultural centre of Palau de la Música. On 12 January, the first EU Mission for Climate Neutral and Smart Cities plaques will be awarded. Ten cities have been awarded the EU Mission Label in 2023, and five of these are Spanish cities, including Valencia. The EU Mission Label is an important milestone as it recognises the cities’ plans to achieve climate-neutrality by 2030 and aims to facilitate access to public and private funding to achieve that objective.

Read more about Valencia here and about cycling in Valencia here.

Background
The European Commission launched the European Green Capital Award in 2010 to encourage cities to become greener and cleaner, and to improve the quality of life for their inhabitants. Around 75% of Europe’s population lives in cities and urban areas. Many cities play a leading role in managing the societal changes needed in the protection of the environment. They are key players for the implementation of the European Green Deal locally. 

The European Green Capital Award is bestowed to cities above 100,000 inhabitants. Since 2010, the European Commission awarded the title to: Vilnius (2025), Valencia (2024), Tallinn (2023), Grenoble (2022), Lahti (2021), Lisbon (2020), Oslo (2019), Nijmegen (2018), Essen (2017), Ljubljana (2016), Bristol (2015), Copenhagen (2014), Nantes (2013), Vitoria-Gasteiz (2012), Hamburg (2011) and Stockholm (2010).

In 2015, the European Green Leaf title was introduced for smaller cities starting from 20,000 and below 100,000 inhabitants, with seventeen Green Leaf winners so far. The 2024 titles went to the Slovenian city, Velenje, and Treviso in Italy. The Commission encourages the winners to work together and use their title year to build alliances.

European Green Capital and Leaf Awards
A call for applications for the 2026 award titles has been launched with a 30 April 2024 deadline. Interested cities can find out more on the European Green Capital and Leaf website. The website features past winners and finalists, including expert assessments, jury reports and year reports from winning cities.

Social media
Twitter: @EUGreenCapital 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EuropeanGreenCapitalAward 
LinkedIn: European Green Capital Award EU 

This survey sheds light on a growing industry by targeting cycling tour operators from Europe and beyond. The results will show key geographical and operational trends while also illuminating challenges businesses face in operating and selling cycling tours. It will show key decision-makers, companies, and authorities the needs of the industry and help propel the growth of cycling tourism, starting from the need for more data as organised tours are a limited segment of our market (7% of German cycling tourists in 2022 according to the ADFC Bicycle Travel Analysis).

The results will focus on aggregated and global figures while keeping a keen eye on any potential regional and national trends. They aim to support tour operators themselves providing key information about the market, but also all actors in the broader cycling tourism ecosystem, from public bodies to cycling tourism advocates. The report on the survey will be accessible for free to all and will become one of the pillars of the EuroVelo Data Hub – your one-stop shop for all data related to EuroVelo and cycling tourism. It will join the Usage Monitoring Report, the Route Development Status Report, and the Digital Statistics Report as essential statistical tools illustrating the trends, successes, and challenges faced by EuroVelo and the cycling tourism as a whole.

The survey sees EuroVelo join forces with two critical players in the cycling tourism industry for the first time: ATTA, the largest global network of adventure travel leaders, and CycleSummit, organisers of a yearly business-oriented gathering for cycling tour operators from Europe and beyond. The three partners bring a wide array of experience and expertise to the table and can tap into a vast network of tour operators to ensure a far-reaching and successful survey.

Conducted over the span of one month, from 20 February to 20 March, the results of the survey will be officially presented at the 2024 EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference in Viborg, Denmark.

Do you operate or sell cycling tours and would like to contribute to the survey? Contact Agathe Daudibon (a.daudibon@ecf.com) or Mark Sheridan (m.sheridan@ecf.com).

Boasting 45km of some of the best mountain bike trails in the province, a plus is they’re only 10 minutes from downtown.

The recent announcement of $600,000 in new funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation will see a 30km extension to the Algoma Trail Network (ATN) at Hiawatha Highlands and a new skills park at Hiawatha’s Kinsmen Park, which are key parts of the ATN’s master plan.

The newly constructed 7km Farmer Lake trail, one of the plan’s first components, is an out-and-back trail through the stunning Canadian Shield that includes a technical Climb to Canyon section before arriving at beautiful Farmer Lake.

The popular Crystal System has seen an additional 12km of new machine-built trails in 2022, bringing the total to over 20km. With something for every ability, including rollercoaster trails such as Berm Baby Berm, the Crystal System can easily deliver a full day of fabulous mountain biking.

Two more trails that are part of the Hiawatha Highlands network include Pinder, with about 8km of single track making it great for beginners and families, along with the 15km Red Pine system, featuring some of the areas tougher routes.

The “Soo” also beckons gravel riders with amazing routes, such as the 45km Maki Road to Red Rock on Lake Superior, which begins and ends at Thomson Farms Cider and Winery. About 45 minutes east of downtown, the town of Echo Bay boasts loads of gravel route options for all skill levels.

The area also offers excellent, scenic road bike routes on the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and throughout Central Algoma that include bike-friendly marinas such as Hilton Beach, Echo Bay, Bruce Mines and more. Ride west to the rocky beach and bluffs of Gros Cap on Lake Superior for a great 40-50km out-and-back excursion.

For a more leisurely pace, try the John Rowswell Hub Trail, a 22.5km easy multi-use non-motorized trail system that links key cultural, historical and natural areas of the community, including a waterfront boardwalk, picturesque Bellevue Park and the Fort Creek Conservation Area.

The city also boasts one of the largest fatbike networks in Canada, with over 40km of groomed trails at Crimson Ridge and Hiawatha Highlands, which offers 12km of winter riding.

The “Soo” welcomes e-bikes on most of its trails and also features great bike shops for rentals, repairs and services for all of your cycling needs. With so many awesome routes and options nearby, Sault Ste. Marie is fast becoming a bucket list cycling destination.

Read more here.