Traditionally organised on the eve of Velo-city conferences, the
Cities & Regions for Cyclists (CRC) Network Day is the annual in-person opportunity for almost 60 network members to meet, exchange ideas, and kick-off conference week together. The 2026 edition will take place on Monday 15 June and is
co-organised with the City of Rimini, Velo-city host and CRC Network member. What is more, this year’s event is once again kindly
supported by the Dutch Cycling Embassy in collaboration with Decisio, a continuation of the collaboration established last year in Gdańsk.
The Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) supports cities and regions worldwide in making cycling a natural part of daily life. By connecting international partners with Dutch public and private expertise, the DCE helps cities turn mobility challenges into opportunities for better streets, stronger communities, and more attractive and enjoyable public space.
We talked to Skadi Tirpak, Managing Director, about the Dutch Cycling Embassy’s work to create better cities and regions worldwide through cycling.
This is the second year the DCE is supporting the CRC Network Day. What key insights did you take away from last year’s edition, and how are they influencing your approach for the 2026 event?
Last year’s CRC Network Day in Gdansk created space for open, practical exchange. What stood out was the diversity of experiences in the room from across Europe and the reminder that successful cycling initiatives depend not only on infrastructure, the “hardware”, but equally on the “software”: communication, community engagement, and stakeholder alignment.
We bring that awareness with us to Rimini. Cities and regions are moving at different speeds, with varying priorities and levels of support, and the challenge is to engage this diversity in ways that are both relevant and actionable. Network Days like this offer a valuable opportunity to learn from one another and leave with ideas that can be applied in practice.
We are therefore very pleased that Decisio will facilitate this year’s session. As an independent Dutch economic research and consultancy firm, and part of our public private network, they bring strong expertise in making the societal and economic value of cycling visible to decision-makers, a perspective that is often decisive. Rimini itself is a strong example: investments in cycling, such as the seafront boulevard, have supported tourism, local businesses, and the city’s attractiveness by creating liveable public spaces for recreation, cycling, and walking.
The Netherlands is known for its strong cycling culture. How would you define the Dutch approach to cycling, and how can it benefit cities and regions?
The Netherlands is a small and densely populated country, which has required us to think carefully about how we organise space and mobility. This has made us strong urban planners, with cycling as an effective tool for improving the liveability of our public spaces.
Cycling works because it is fully integrated into the wider transport system. It connects naturally with public transport, while recognising that the (private) car also remains part of daily travel.
Equally important is the alignment across government levels. National policy provides direction, provinces focus on regional connections, and municipalities ensure local ease of use. While priorities may differ, cycling is rarely treated as an add-on, it is ingrained in how we design and build our environments.
You have worked with dozens of countries around the world these past years and will continue doing so in 2026. How do you tailor your approach so that cities and regions can use Dutch cycling experience in ways that fit their local context and culture?
Working closely with local representatives and experts is fundamental to our approach. We bring the Dutch lens, but local context ultimately determines what is possible and appropriate.
Our role is often to guide the conversation, asking questions, sometimes constructively challenging existing frameworks, and helping stakeholders find common ground, always with respect for local realities and regulations. At times, a fresh external perspective is exactly what helps move discussions forward.
The goal is not to introduce a “Dutch solution”, but to support cities and regions in adapting insights and developing their own approaches based on the inspiration and knowledge we can provide.
ThinkBike Workshops and study visits remain core pillars of your work. What are they and what were the most notable insights or breakthroughs from the 2025-2026 editions?
They are often described as catalysts. ThinkBike workshops and study visits are designed to move from inspiration to application. By combining strategic dialogue with practical examples, they help participants explore what cycling could look like within their own environment.
A nice example, and in the context of Velo-city, is Gdańsk: from
a study visit to the Netherlands in 2021 to a
ThinkBike workshop in 2025 focused on bike-train intermodality.
What we increasingly see is that organisations approach us with a strong starting point, clear ambitions, and a growing understanding of the role cycling plays in urban systems and in creating more liveable communities. This allows us to move more quickly beyond explaining the “why” and focus on the “how”, where meaningful change begins.
Looking ahead, what are the Dutch Cycling Embassy’s main priorities for 2026 and beyond, and how do they reflect the evolving needs of the cities and regions you work with?
“Cycling for everyone, everywhere” remains a simple statement that continues to guide our work.
As global awareness grows, conversations are becoming more substantive. There is increasing recognition of cycling as an integral part of urban and regional systems. Our priority is therefore to support cities and regions in translating ambition into practice and to do so through international collaboration. While contexts differ within Europe (and beyond), the shared objective of creating healthier, more accessible environments connects us all.
Finally, could you highlight some recent achievements and impactful initiatives led by the DCE?
The Dutch Cycling Embassy sees itself first and foremost as a collaborator. Cities and regions, together with elected officials and grassroots organisations, are the true drivers of change.
What we value most is the trust built through international collaborations. For nearly 15 years, we have had the privilege of connecting partners with Dutch expertise and experience. Celebrating this anniversary in 2026 is therefore less about looking back, and more about continuing these collaborations and shaping the next chapter together.
ECF’s Cities & Regions for Cyclists (CRC) Network is a network bringing together local and regional administrations, actively working to promote the bicycle as a mode of transport and leisure. Our members collectively represent more than 55 million citizens, across more than 25 countries.
For more information on how to join, and attend CRC Network Day 2026, contact Froso Christofides, ECF Members & Networks Director, at
[email protected].
For more information on the Cities & Regions for Cyclists Network, please visit
this page.
For more information on the Dutch Cycling Embassy, click
here.
