Dutch legacy of Velo-City

Wow, what a thrilling week! So many cycling friends gathered for one week in the best cycling country of the world. Still a bit fuzzy and impressed by the super organization, the best meetings and great cycling and dance fun, it is hard to draw final conclusions of the conference. Was it the pure joy of sharing the best examples of happy cities and happy people? Was it the the hand over of the EU cycling strategy? Hard to say. On the other hand there are some take-aways for the Netherlands that we can count already as the legacy of Velo-City.

Do-It-Yourself visits

As Mark Wagenbuur stated in his latest blogpost, the excursion season is in full swing in the Netherlands. We receive nummerous requests for tours in our cycling cities to get inspiration and learn from best practices. Apart from the pre- and postprogram of Velo-City, people want to see cities in personalized tours. They have read on the internet and want to experience the world class cycling infrastructure to to bring inspiration back home and tight bonds with Dutch experts. And, I received some requests from people who want to see the city on their own.  In this blogpost I will show you my personal picks on the highlights of Utrecht.

Where to go pre- or post Velo-City?

Overwhelmed by the wide choice you can make for extra events arranged around Velo-City 2017 in the Netherlands, some people asked me to clarify the program and give them advice. Of course I am happy to help them and you to make the best of your visit of the Netherlands. So I drew this simple flowchart to question your interests and guide you to the appropriate choice. Of course it is my personal grouping, keep your personal preferences in mind and choose whatever you want. Early bird registration ends at the end of Februari, subscription to pre- and post events is limited!

Click to enlarge

To your comfort I made an additional map of the Netherlands with all activities pinpointed on location and date. As you have to arrange the travels yourself to and from these locations, it might be helpful to know where to go. Most locations are easily accessible by train.

Just in case people wonder what I will be doing: Probably I will cycle Monday 12th in the morning to Arnhem. The Dutch Cycling Embassy and the Cycling Embassy Denmark will have a special meeting in the afternoon. Stay tuned for more news and start your registration for the best cycling conference in Europe. Meanwhile I will enjoy the Winter Cycling Congress in Canada.

UPDATE of May 23: Some events have been canceled due to too low interest, so I updated my flowchart.