The annual European Cycling Week, the largest cycling rally on the continent, will be held this year in the Drenthe town of Meppel, the Meppeler Courant reports.
Organized by the municipal authorities and association DrentseFiets4Daagse Meppel, under the auspices of the European Union of Cycle Touring UECT, the event will bring together cycle tourists from all over Europe.
The participants in this year’s event, which will be held between July 9 and 16, will be in for a treat because Drenthe boasts a great number of bicycle paths and has a lot to offer to recreational cyclists: forests, heathlands, shifting sands, prehistoric megaliths, as well as quaint villages with shops and cafes.
From Monday July 11 to Friday July 15, cyclists will be able to choose every day out of 3 circuits of approximately 40, 80 and 120 kilometres which will lead them to various parts of the province.
The UECT is a non-profit organization which organizes and promotes all forms of cycling tourism in Europe. It also serves as an umbrella organizations for various European cycling federations and associations. According to a study commissioned by the European Parliament, the cycling tourism industry in Europe is worth €44 billion per year, and growing.
