On Monday 15th June, representatives of ECF’s Cities & Regions for Cyclists (CRC), a network of over sixty local and regional authorities committed to promoting cycling, gathered in Rimini for the CRC Network Day 2026. Traditionally organised on the eve of Velo-city conferences, this annual in-person meeting is the opportunity for network members to come together, exchange, and learn from each other to accelerate their cycling transition. It also serves as the kick-off event for the Velo-city conference week.
The 2026 edition was co-organised by ECF together with CRC member and Velo-city host City of Rimini. For the second consecutive year, the event was kindly supported by the Dutch Cycling Embassy.
Henk Swarttouw, ECF President, opened the event, welcoming the members and thanking our host and sponsor. He highlighted the key role cities and regions play in achieving more and better cycling for all.
Mattia Morolli, Deputy Mayor for Mobility of the City of Rimini, gave a warm welcome to participants, and expressed the city’s commitment to offering people better mobility solutions in the public spaces where their daily life unfolds. He highlighted both what Rimini has achieved so far and what is yet to come to build a sustainable future.
Mattia Morolli, Deputy Mayor for Mobility of the City of Rimini; Henk Swarttouw, ECF President
For the first part of the programme, representatives from the City of Rimini took participants on a two-hour, 6.8 kilometres technical visit showcasing how the city weaves sustainable mobility into its cultural and historical fabric. The route covered key areas including the Green Ring, the historical centre and the waterfront, offering a first-hand look at Rimini’s latest cycling infrastructure developments.
In the afternoon, the Dutch Cycling Embassy and its expert network partner Decisio organised a thought-provoking, interactive workshop. Participants engaged in a role-playing simulation to discuss the mobility plans of a fictional city. Building evidence-based arguments grounded in current cycling research, participants took the seat of various stakeholder groups to discuss how to best frame mobility transition to leverage support and eventually increase the cycling modal share.
Skadi Tirpak, Managing Director of the Dutch Cycling Embassy
Through the active participation of our members and the excellent facilitation of our partners, the workshop created space for cities and regions to compare approaches and reflect on how cycling-led planning can be applied in their own context.
CRC Network members during the workshop
A warm thank you to our members for joining, and to our partners Rimini and the Dutch Cycling Embassy for making this year’s edition a success!
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