Several thousand cyclists will set off on Sunday morning in two pelotons - the first starting in Tczew, and the second in Wejherowo – and will meet in the afternoon at the Ergo Arena in Sopot. There, representatives of the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments will receive the "Golden Spoke", a prize awarded for the design of the bicycle path system for the Tri-City Metropolitan Area. This is all part of the 18th edition of the ‘Wielki Przejazd Rowerowy ‘ (Great Cycle Ride).

The award recognises the work of the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments by the event organiser, the Bicycle Federation of Pomerania.

"The implementation of integrating the paths with the associated infrastructure and STeR (the acronym for the System of Cycle Paths for the Tri-city Metropolitan Area) is one of the flagship projects that the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments intends to implement by 2020”.

The project includes more than 100 km of cycle routes, leading to the integration of hubs in the metropolitan area.  There are 19 groups involved in the project giving it a real character of partnership  with the following local government city and municipality authorities taking part –Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot, Żukowo, Reda, Pruszcz Gdansk (city and municipality),Tczew, Wejherowo, Sierakowice, Rumia, Somonino, Stężyca, Wejherowo, Pszczółki, Kartuzy, Luzino, Nowodworski and the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway company.

“The award is an expression of support for the efforts of the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments to obtain financing for investment in public transport and cycling. The project submitted by the association involves the construction of routes closely-connected with cycle paths, equipped with bicycle parking and bike rental points” said Remigiusz Kitliński, Gdansk Cycling Officer and coordinator of the project. “The implementation of these plans will significantly increase the attractiveness of public transport while reducing the automotive pressure in the Tri-city Metropolitan Area”.

“The Golden Spoke award to the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments is not just an award, for us it is also a commitment, that by carrying out the projects they remember for whom they are being done” said Wojciech Szczurek, mayor of Gdynia. “The long and complicated work on the metropolitan area’s system of bicycle routes is not finished yet. There is more building in front of us. But if this project is already deserving of an award, then the motivation to see it through to a successful conclusion is even greater”.

Mayor of Gdansk Pawel Adamowicz added “We try to make the metropolitan area meet the expectations of residents as much as possible. And since so many of us are cyclists and travelling by bicycle has become a part of life, for the benefit of our health, the environment and the public transport system, our aim is to support such attitudes. The system of cycling routes in the metropolitan area is another element in the implementation of cycling policies in our cities and an example of successful cooperation within the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments. We are glad that it appreciated by the most interested group - cyclists.

Here are the details of this year's ‘Wielki Przejazd Rowerowy’. From one end cyclists from Tczew, Pruszcz Gdansk and Gdansk will take part, while from the other end of the route cyclists from Wejherowo, Reda, Rumia, Gdynia and Sopot will be involved. Traditionally they travel in two pelotons numbering thousands of cyclists.

Places and schedule

NORTH PELETON

Wejherowo – Pl. Jakuba Wejhera – Meet:  9:30, Depart: 10:00
Reda – The square by ul. Cechowej/ul. Gdańskiej – Meet: 10:30,  Depart: 10:55
Rumia - ul. Starowiejska by the railway station – Meet:  11:00, Depart: 11:35
Gdynia – Skwer Kosciuszki  - Meet: 12:30, Depart: 13:00
Sopot - Plac Konstytucji 3 Maja  - Meet: 13:30, Depart: 13:45

SOUTH PELETON

Tczew - ul. Dworcowa (by the black and white locomotive) – Meet:  9:30, Depart: 9:50
Pruszcz Gdansk – The car park at the Faktoria Culture Park – Meet: 11:30, Depart: 11:50
Gdańsk - ul.  Rajska (next to  Madison) – Meet: 12:00, Depart: 12:50

At approx 14.30, during the ceremony for the ‘Wielki Przejazd Rowerowy’ which will be held in the car park of the Ergo Arena, Pl. Dwoch Miast, representatives of the Association of Integrated Territorial Investments will receive the "Golden Spoke 2014" award.