Partners of the Cycle2Connect project, co-funded by the European Union, gathered virtually on October 1 for the project’s second partnership meeting, bringing together organisations from across Europe to review the progress of the project, assess the current use of the Cycle2Connect mobile application and coordinate the next stages of implementation.

The meeting focused in particular on strengthening partner cooperation, increasing student engagement and preparing for the European Student Cycling Challenge, with the final activity in Ljubljana in June 2027.

Cycle2Connect aims to promote cycling as a sustainable form of daily transport, encourage active and healthy lifestyles, support the inclusion of vulnerable groups and raise awareness of the environmental benefits of cycling. An important dimension of the project is also connecting students across Europe and motivating them to take part in the final project event in Ljubljana.

A central part of the meeting was dedicated to the Cycle2Connect (C2C) mobile application, which is the key tool for tracking cycling activity, forming teams, motivating participants and connecting students across participating countries. The European Student Cycling Challenge will be open until April 2027.

According to the statistics presented at the meeting, as of end of September 2026, the application had 442 registered users, who had recorded 36,400 kilometres across 2,600 completed rides, contributing to an estimated 4.3 tonnes of CO₂ savings. These figures demonstrate growing engagement with the project and already exceed several of the project's initial targets, including the target of 10,000 kilometres cycled and 2,000 kg of CO₂ saved during the project period.
The application is currently being used by students and participants especially connected to partner organisations and universities in several European countries.

Communication and promotion were also identified as important elements for the next phase of the project. The meeting underlined the importance of moving beyond simply promoting the mobile application and communicating the wider opportunities offered through the project. Students are encouraged to collect kilometres through the app and work towards qualification for the final event in Ljubljana, where selected participants will take part in a four-day programme with accommodation, meals, bikes and additional activities provided. Regular communication, clear calls to action and promotion through universities, student organisations and local sports networks were highlighted as important ways of reaching more students. 

Join the challenge early on, start collecting kilometres and qualify for the European Student Cycling Challenge 2027 Final! While the qualification will be most relevant for student participants from partner countries, everyone can use the app for free - which can be downloaded here.

The partnership meeting also addressed cooperation agreements and clarified the responsibilities of project partners. These include supporting project promotion and dissemination, publishing information and calls for students, communicating with selected participants, reporting on cycling and promotional activities, sharing good practices from their cities and participating in training activities related to cycling, mobility, safety and healthy lifestyles.

Particular attention was given to preparations for the European Student Cycling Challenge and the final event in Ljubljana in June 2027. Students from partner countries with the best results in the mobile application will be invited to attend in person, with teams consisting of 6 gender balanced members. The selected students will participate in the main event, as well as its workshops and side activities, alongside other events connected with the Maraton Franja programme.

The project has also established a timeline for the coming months. A mid-term partnership meeting is planned for the end of November 2026, while student activation and kilometre collection through the app will continue until April 2027. 

The second partnership meeting marked an important coordination point for Cycle2Connect, combining an assessment of the project's progress with concrete preparations for the next phase. With the mobile application already generating significant participation and cycling activity, the focus now turns towards expanding student engagement, strengthening local promotion and cooperation, and preparing participants for the European Student Cycling Challenge in Ljubljana in 2027.

Cycle2Connect - European Student Cycling Challenge project is co-funded by the European Union. It has been designed and is coordinated by the Rog Cycling Club, and is supported by the City of Ljubljana, European University Sports Association (EUSA) with the EUSA Institute and other key partners.

For more information, visit https://franja.org/en/cycle2connect/ and https://www.cycle2connect.com