A group of mass cycling events has formed a new organization - the World Association of Cycling Events - with a grand mission to promote and increase cycling worldwide.
Founded in July, WACE announced its existence today and has a website and social media accounts (www.wacebike.com, Facebook, Twitter).
Cape Town Cycle Tour, Sweden's Vatternrundan, L'Etape du Tour, RideLondon, Granfondo Campagnolo Roma and, here in the US, TD New York's Five Boro Bike Tour.
Together, the six events have more than 200,000 participants from 90 countries each year.
"All of us at Bike New York are thrilled and honored to be a charter member of WACE, a prestigious coalition that includes six other like-minded organizations," said Ken Podziba, President of Bike New York, which organizes the TD Five Boro Bike Tour.
"We look forward to working with the other members - all of which have put together truly stunning bike rides - to promote cycling as a healthy and sustainable mode of transportation and recreation. The TD Five Boro Bike Tour is a one-of-a-kind event, and it's wonderful that as a result of the international reach of WACE, more cyclists from all over the globe will now get to learn about and discover this iconic New York City experience for themselves."
WACE says that other major international cycling events "are set" to join.
"It is a very exciting time for cycling with such rapid growth in interest and participation," said Hugh Brasher, President of WACE and Event Director for RideLondon, "we expect a number of other major international cycling events to join us to promote the many health and lifestyle benefits of cycling and to work together to promote the opportunity to ride in great cities around the world. WACE events are working with city leaders to get more people cycling to help address the global issues of pollution, overcrowding on public transport and public health."
The launch announcement and website are relatively light on what WACE will actually do to achieve its mission. One concrete item mentioned is a "WACE CHALLENGE" rewarding riders who ride multiple WACE events.
This continent-hopping challenge would not seem to be hugely helpful in getting people cycling or solving the real-world issues mentioned by Brasher.
A request for comment made to WACE was not returned (in the admittedly limited time) before publication. The story will be updated as and when.
WACE Founders:
TD Five Boro Bike Tour, closed road mass participation cycling event in New York City with 32,000 participants. Board Member: Andrew Gould
Vatternrundan (Sweden), one of the oldest and longest mass participation cycling event in the world with more than 6 million km ridden each year. Vice President: Eva-Lena Frick
L'Etape du Tour (France), one of the most beautiful and toughest sportives in the world, ridden over a stage of the Tour de France. Board Member: Mathieu Boutroux
RideLondon (UK), the world largest festival of cycling with 95,000+ riders on traffic-free roads in London and Surrey, President: Hugh Brasher
Granfondo Campagnolo Roma (Italy), a unique cycling experience in the historic Eternal City starting in front of the Colosseum, Vice president: Gianluca Santilli
Cape Town Cycle Tour (South Africa), the biggest timed cycle event in the world, Board Member: David Bellairs
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