Herzegovina Becomes Part of the European Cycling Map
Utrecht, 17 May 2025 – A milestone day for cycle tourism and cycling development in Bosnia and Herzegovina! The HerzegovinaBike Association has officially been accepted as a member of the prestigious European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), marking a historic step towards the European integration of cycling initiatives from our country.
At today’s ECF General Assembly, held in the Dutch city of Utrecht, our member Peter Janak represented HerzegovinaBike through an inspiring and well-received presentation. In his address, he reflected on the development of cycle tourism, urban cycling, and general cycling promotion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been systematically growing for more than 20 years.
According to many participants, the presentation was both excellent and impressive, resulting in the unanimous acceptance of HerzegovinaBike into this influential European network.
Peter Janak, a British citizen originally from London who spends a large part of the year in Herzegovina, expressed his delight:
“I’m grateful to my team in Herzegovina who made it possible for me to be here in the Netherlands today and present everything we’ve achieved together in the field of tourism and cycle tourism. ECF members were amazed by the projects we showcased – such as the Ćiro Trail, the Franciscana Route, and the Bike Friendly Standard. They simply couldn’t believe that all of this exists in Herzegovina.”
Peter also emphasized the importance of the new international connections he made:
“I’ve made valuable connections and we’re already discussing future projects and memberships. For instance, we’ve received an invitation to join the MTB Europe Federation, which helps finance and develop mountain biking trails across Europe – and they want to support work in Herzegovina. I’m excited and confident that we have a bright future ahead. Today we made a big step forward, but the real challenges and opportunities are yet to come.”
President of the HerzegovinaBike association, Toni Zorić, also commented on this significant moment:
“This is something we’ve been working on intensively for the past six months. Earlier this year I had an important meeting in Belgium regarding this matter, and since then we’ve sent numerous documents, fulfilling the requirements and conditions set by the ECF. Today we were rewarded with membership, but now the real work begins. Our main goal remains the same – to include Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EuroVelo network, stretching from the north of the country all the way south, where the Ćiro Trail connects to EuroVelo 8 in Dubrovnik, Republic of Croatia.”
About the ECF
The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), founded in 1983 and headquartered in Brussels, advocates for “more and better cycling for all” across Europe by influencing policies, funding priorities, and public opinion. ECF manages the EuroVelo network – a series of pan-European cycling routes – and brings together over 70 organizations from more than 40 countries.
The admission of HerzegovinaBike into this prestigious organization is yet another proof that dedicated, long-term grassroots work – driven by passion, collaboration, and vision – can lead to major international success.
More about the ECF: www.ecf.com
More about HerzegovinaBike projects: www.herzegovinabike.ba
