Recap E-bike Challenge and Fiets en Wandelbeurs Netherlands 2026
The E-bike Challenge 2026 in Utrecht, held in combination with the Fiets en Wandelbeurs Nederland 2026, attracted 24,628 enthusiastic visitors. Across three halls of Jaarbeurs, they discovered a wide range of electric bikes, speed pedelecs, accessories, active holidays, routes, destinations, and outdoor gear.
Friday and Saturday in particular were busy in the aisles, with exhibitors fielding a constant stream of questions. Once again, the combination of the Challenge with the Fiets en Wandelbeurs proved to be a “golden match.” Many visitors to the Fiets en Wandelbeurs are interested in electric bikes and drop by their “neighbours,” while Challenge visitors also explore the stands of the Fiets en Wandelbeurs.
E-bike Challenge
Hall 8 was dedicated to the E-bike Challenge. On the large indoor test track, visitors had ample opportunity to try out the latest models of e-bikes and speed pedelecs from more than twenty brands – an ideal setting for potential buyers to determine which electric bike suits them best.
Cycling and hiking destinations
In Hall 9, numerous European destinations showcased their cycling and hiking offerings. Spain, France, Poland, Czech Republic, and Portugal were strongly represented on the exhibition floor.
France also took home an award with the route La Voie Bleue, which won the Hicle Cycling Route of the Year 2026. One notable newcomer was Cape Verde, highlighting its hiking opportunities, particularly across its islands.
100+ presentations
Across six rooms and a workshop square on the exhibition floor, visitors could attend more than a hundred presentations. Topics ranged from cycling in the Isaan in Thailand to pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, Rome, and Trondheim, as well as hiking around the Veluwe and preparing for a cycling holiday.
Adventurer Tim Voors and Brigitte Ars, known for her bestseller ‘Het wilde vrouwenpad. Avontuurlijke wandelingen‘ (Wild woman path. Adventurous hikes), were among the crowd-pullers. Presentations such as “Bike and Train” and “Travel by Train to Your Hiking Destination” also proved highly popular.
Recap Fiets en Wandelbeurs Belgium 2026
Enthusiastic cyclists and walkers flocked to the Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Ghent, held together with the E-bike Challenge. In Hall 1 of Flanders Expo, everything revolved around discovering, experiencing, and planning for the new season.
Visitors were inspired by a diverse range of offerings: from active travel and destinations to innovative outdoor gear, the latest bicycles, e-bikes, and smart accessories. Plans for long tours and short excursions took shape right on the show floor through conversations with exhibitors.
New Routes
More and more destinations are investing in new, high-quality routes and dense route networks that meet the growing demand for active holidays. Even seasoned walkers and cyclists could discover plenty of new experiences during the kickoff of the new cycling and walking season at the fair.
Poland made a particularly striking appearance. The country not only showcased new cycling routes but also featured shows by extreme stunt cyclist Krystian Herba. Additionally, visitors could experience the Polish Green Velo route in a 5D cinema using all their senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and even taste – a truly immersive adventure.
Workshops and Lectures
For two full days, the fair buzzed with a program of workshops and lectures across three squares on the show floor and in the SkyLounge. Visitors could dive into bicycle repair, learn to navigate with their smartphones, or simply dream away with adventures along endless desert roads in Saudi Arabia.
European classic routes in the making were also highlighted, such as La Voie Bleue, named Hicle Cycle Route of the Year 2026. New this year were workshops on the Pilgrims’ Square, which put iconic pilgrimage routes – like those to Santiago de Compostela, Rome, and Trondheim (the St. Olav’s Way) – in the spotlight.
Hiking Route of the Year
On the first day of the fair, “Een wandeling rondom de Veluwe” (A Walk Around the Veluwe) was named Hicle Hiking Route of the Year 2026. The 300 km route runs along the edges of the largest nature reserve in the Netherlands.
The jury praised the trail, calling it a “nature path par excellence”. “Even the edges of the Veluwe are exceptionally appealing, with their vast forests, rolling heathlands, and impressive sand drifts. Moreover, the route is divided into twenty stages, each beginning and ending at a train station or bus stop,” the jury report stated.
E-bike Challenge
The large indoor test track was the beating heart of the E-bike Challenge. Here, visitors had ample opportunity to try out the latest electric bikes and speed pedelecs from a wide range of brands. From smooth city bikes and e-trekking bikes to powerful speed pedelecs: everything was ready to be tested and compared.
We look forward to seeing you on 20 and 21 February 2027 for the next edition of the Fiets en Wandelbeurs and E-bike Challenge!
Photo impression edition 2026
images: Yel Ratajczak
‘A walk around the Veluwe’ is the Hicle Hiking Route of the Year 2026
At the Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Ghent, this route was selected by the walking jury. They described the winning route as “a nature path par excellence, fully living up to its subtitle ‘Longest Forest Walk in the Netherlands’.”
“Even the edges of the largest nature reserve in the Netherlands are very appealing, with their forests, heathlands, and sand drifts. The trail is divided into twenty stages, all beginning and ending near a train station or bus stop,” according to the jury.
According to the jury, the beautiful nature, the large proportion of unpaved paths, the attractive guide, the precise route description, and clear maps are major strengths. Another strong point is that all stages are accessible by public transport. The guide also provides detailed instructions on reaching the OV (public transport) stops — an extra service for walkers. The jury noted the lack of on-site signage as a minor drawback.
Winner:
Een wandeling rondom de Veluwe (300 km – NL)
“Een wandeling rondom de Veluwe” (A walk around the Veluwe) is a completely revised remake of the guide of the same name, originally published in 2012. The described route has changed significantly. During the re-exploration, it became clear that conditions in several areas had changed so much that the route needed to be adjusted. For example, some parts of nature reserves – and therefore paths – were closed to create resting areas for wildlife, prompting the search for new alternatives. In addition, better options were sought for certain sections. As a result, the route is now nearly 20 kilometers longer and even more attractive. About 20% of the trail follows new paths. The walk is almost 300 km long, divided into 20 stages.
Menno Faber and Ad Snelderwaard produced a comprehensive 176-page guide. The authors describe their creation as “the longest forest walk in the Netherlands”, featuring a variety of appealing landscapes with hills, forests, heathlands, and sand dunes.
Info: Gegarandeerdonregelmatig.nl
The election of the Hicle Hiking Route of the Year is an initiative by Hicle/Fiets en Wandelbeurs, aimed at encouraging the development of high-quality hiking routes. Eligible for the award are new or recently updated routes in the Benelux. The winner receives the coveted honorary title of ‘Best Hiking Route’.
Recap Fiets en Wandelbeurs Netherlands 2026
The 21st edition of the Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Utrecht, held in combination with the E-bike Challenge, attracted 24,628 enthusiastic cyclists and walkers. Across three halls at Jaarbeurs, visitors found an extensive range of active holidays, routes, destinations, outdoor gear, bicycles, e-bikes and accessories.
The aisles were particularly busy on Friday and Saturday, with exhibitors answering a constant stream of questions. The theme of this edition was “Switch your route”, an invitation to step outside one’s comfort zone, discover surprising routes and refresh the mind.
Destinations
In Hall 9, numerous European destinations showcased their cycling and walking offerings. Spain, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and Portugal were strongly represented on the exhibition floor. France also received recognition, as the route La Voie Bleue won the Hicle Cycle Route of the Year 2026 award. One of the notable newcomers was Cape Verde, highlighting in particular the walking opportunities across its islands.
100+ presentations
In six rooms and at a workshop area on the exhibition floor, visitors could attend more than one hundred presentations, ranging from cycling in the Isaan region of Thailand to pilgrimages to Santiago, Rome and Trondheim, walking on the Veluwe, and preparing for a cycling holiday. Adventurer Tim Voors and Brigitte Ars, known for her bestseller “‘The Wild Women Trail: Adventurous Walks“, were among the main crowd-pullers. Presentations such as “Bike and train” and “Travelling by train to your walking destination” were also very popular.
E-bike Challenge
Hall 8 was dedicated to the E-bike Challenge, the largest e-bike test event in the Netherlands. On the large indoor test track, visitors had ample opportunity to try out the latest models of e-bikes and speed pedelecs from over twenty brands – an ideal opportunity for potential buyers to discover which electric bike suits them best.
Photo impression 2026
Photos: ©Stephan de Goede
La Voie Bleue is Hicle Cycle Route of the Year
La Voie Bleue in France has been named Hicle Cycle Route of the Year 2026 at the Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Utrecht.
The cycle jury, consisting of Bert Sitters, Mirre Oost and Jessica de Korte, was full of praise for the French route:
“La Voie Bleue treats cyclists to a wide variety of French landscapes and, in Burgundy, to Grand Cru-level wines. Highlights along the way include the beautiful cities of Metz and Nancy, perfectly suited to be explored by bike. At the end, the vibrant city of Lyon awaits – the gastronomic capital of France. Between the cities, there is above all peace and space. Almost every village has its own story,” according to the jury.
La Voie Bleue runs from the Luxembourg border (Apach) to Lyon in France. This 727-kilometre cycling route largely follows the rivers Moselle and Saône and passes along the Canal des Vosges. Its development took longer than planned due to COVID, and in some places nature conservation regulations made it difficult to build cycle paths along the towpaths. Nevertheless, the result is a beautiful route that showcases France at its very best.
Theme of water
The name Voie Bleue – literally “Blue Route” – refers to the theme of water. Cycling from north to south through France, you follow several rivers and canals, each with its own character. The tranquillity of nature alternates with lively cities: Metz, Nancy and Lyon are highlights, but Épinal, Chalon-sur-Saône and Mâcon are also well worth a visit. Along the way, you will also discover many picturesque villages.
Most of the route follows dedicated cycle paths. In the near future, more than a thousand benches and picnic tables will be installed, and the signage is clearly recognisable by its logo. Remarkably for France, there are hardly any obstructive barriers such as gates. The website is well organised, and the La Voie Bleue guide by Le Routard includes an access route from Luxembourg City. The route is largely flat, making it suitable for families and older cyclists as well.
More information: www.lavoiebleue.com
Other nominees
The two other nominees were Ode aan het landschap in the Achterhoek (Netherlands) and La Vélidéale in France.
The election of the Hicle Cycle Route of the Year is an initiative by Hicle/Fiets en Wandelbeurs, aimed at encouraging the development of high-quality cycling routes. Eligible are new or recently modified routes in Europe.
Recap IBTC 2026
Rerouting Cycling & Hiking Tourism
Photos: ©Seraina Wams Photography
Over 80 professionals in cycling and hiking tourism gathered at the Domstad Conference Center in Utrecht for the fifth edition of the IBTC. The theme this year was “Rerouting Cycling & Hiking Tourism”.
Marjan Gielen, conference organizer and tourism professional, set the tone: “Destinations struggle with crowded paths and exhausted nature, while new regions could benefit from spreading visitors. How can we take steps to better distribute hikers and cyclists across a region or country?”
The presentations indicated that the future of cycling and hiking tourism revolves around better visitor distribution, strong collaboration, smart use of data, and sometimes a more regenerative approach to tourism.
Shanna Bussink (Rayu) demonstrated that spreading visitors is not just an infrastructure challenge, but also a psychological one. Hikers often choose the same familiar spots due to social media and expectations. Her solution? Hikeprofiler.com, a personality-based matching system that classifies hikers into four profiles according to their key values and motivations. This allows destinations to position routes more strategically and make lesser-known trails more attractive.
Projects in Brabant (de Wandelstarter) and the Province of Antwerp showed that active network management is needed to spread crowds. This can be achieved by strategically organizing starting points, improving infrastructure, and sometimes even removing routes. The key lesson: communication and collaboration with local stakeholders are crucial.
Loek Luijbregts (Cycling Incubators) focused on cases in Türkiye and emphasized that active tourism grows most when embedded in local infrastructure, landscape, and amenities. The effect of temporary marketing campaigns and government projects can be limited; when budgets run out, initiatives often fade.
Bert Smit (Ginder) called for a shift from tourism as consumption to tourism that contributes to strengthening nature and local communities – regenerative tourism in other words. Authentic local experiences often prove more important to visitors than classic attractions.
Karine Dupuy (France Vélo Tourisme) noted that coordination between regions, government, and businesses can be a more important success factor than new cycling infrastructure. Through joint marketing, quality standards, and shared data, France developed a strong national network.
Clare Dewey and Kate Norris (Epic Road Rides) provided participants with practical tools to bring routes in lesser-known cycling destinations to public attention.
Robin Ranjore (Eco-Counter) highlighted the importance of reliable visitor data. By combining on-the-ground counts with floating GPS data and smartphone data, destinations can better understand and manage visitor flows.
Rúben Jardao (ERA) spoke about the importance of engaging young people more in hiking organizations and raising awareness of safety on hiking trails.
Agathe Daudibon (ECF/EuroVelo) outlined the main trends in European cycling tourism, including AI and digital innovation, developing short routes around long routes such as EuroVelo, closing the gap in reliable data, and advocating for political recognition.
Eric Nijland (Fietsplatform) presented key figures on Dutch cycling tourism and reviewed the pros and cons of various measurement methods.
