With 27 editions under its belt, L’Étape du Tour is now Europe’s benchmark cyclosportive event. For several years, it has played a key role on the European and world cyclosportive calendar. As such, the Étape du Tour is represented within several institutions.
ECO CYCLO
Developed in France in 2006, the Eco Cyclo programme consists of nearly 100 volunteers spread across the world. Their role is to deliver an environmentally-friendly message to the many cyclosportive events around the world.
The Eco Cyclo patrols, recognisable in the peleton by their green vests, will once again be participating in the 2018 Étape du Tour.
More information on their work and commitments here.
ASSOCIATION EUROPÉENNE CYCLOSPORT (AEC)
Founded in 2003, the AEC brings together the main organisers of cyclosportives in Europe and some technical partners in the discipline. Long considered as a hybrid cycling activity, halfway between competitive cycling and randonnée, cyclosportives were officially recognised in France in 2005 as competitive events with no restriction on the number of participants. Cyclosportives are real cycling festivals for all ages and all levels of ability.
More information can be found here.
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF CYCLING EVENTS (WACE)
WACE brings together 6 of the most important and prestigious cyclosportive events in the world:
- Cape Town Cycle Tour (South Africa), the world’s biggest timed cycling event
- TD Five Boro Bike Tour (USA), the only cyclosportive event to take place on closed roads in New York, attracting 32,000 participants every year
- Vätternrundan (Sweden), the oldest and one of the longest cyclosportive events in the world with more than 6 million kilometres pedalled each year
- L’Étape du Tour (France), one of the most stunning and demanding sporting races in the world which each year covers one of the emblematic stages of the Tour de France
- RideLondon (UK), the biggest festival of cycling in the world with more than 95,000 participants pedalling through roads that are closed to the traffic in London and Surrey
- Granfondo Campagnolo Roma (Italy), a singular cycling experience in the heart of the Eternal City, where the start line is at the foot of the Colosseum
WACE was created to promote and expand cycling around the world. The events organised by the members of WACE bring together more than 200,000 cyclists each year from 90 countries: the new organisation is ideally placed to encourage new cyclists to take up the sport and to travel to the four corners of the world to compete in other world class cycling events.
