Bikes, Cycling and Europe
Chair(s): Simon Usherwood (Open University)
Cycling has been an important part of Europe since the rapid evolvement of bikes in the 19th century. Bikes have, for instance, shaped transportation and cycling has become an important cornerstone of ideas for sustainable cities. There is ample literature on cycling’s impact on health, on “cycling tribes” and cycling as a lifestyle, and on what role bikes have played and still play in the emancipation of women, to name just a few topics.
But did you know that there was a cycling race called Le Tour d’Europe in the 1950s? Have you ever heard of the European Declaration on Cycling, launched by the European Commission in October 2023? In this - as far as we know - first ever UACES panel on cycling and Europe, we explore how cycling cultures, pro cycling and other relevant topics have shaped or have been shaped by the idea of Europe in its widest sense.
Presentations of the Symposium
‘Santa Got Me A Bike’: An Analysis Of Europeanisation In Public Cycling Schemes In The Republic Of Ireland.
Philip Murphy
University College Cork
This paper analyses the influence of Europeanisation on cycling schemes and infrastructure in the Republic of Ireland. The Europeanisation of national level policies has received much attention in recent decades, with a range of top-down and bottom-up drivers identified. While its influence is most keenly observed in discussions of European Union integration (and disintegration), it reflects and interacts with wider processes of internationalisation in Europe.
As a policy object, cycling sits at the nexus of public health, transport, and environment policies. It has come to be framed as a public good both as a means of commuting and as a leisure activity. The European Union has been active in this area, incentivising member states to establish public cycling schemes and to extend cycling infrastructure. The Republic of Ireland presents as a dynamic case in which to study same. With cycling commute rates relatively low by European comparison, it has introduced cycle-to-work, bike-share, and dedicated cycle lane schemes in the past 15 years. This paper examines how Europeanisation has impacted policymaking (problem definition, objective setting, decision-process, and outcome evaluation) in such schemes. Primary research with legislative, executive, and civic society actors explores the role of funding, networks, impact assessments, and platforms on their legislation and implementation. Results contribute to our understanding of how Europeanisation as a process, and the European Union as an actor, is perceived by local level actors. Simultaneously, they provide insight of how cycling, as a policy object, is framed by such actors.
Europeanisation Logics in Professional Cycling
Simon Usherwood
Open University
Professional cycling has undergone various efforts in the past 20 years to become more international from its European roots. However, it remains a profoundly - possibly even essentially - European endeavour, in part because of strong logics of Europeanisation within the sport. This paper offers a conceptualisation of those logics, whereby riders, teams, races and the broader imaginarium of popular discourse all experience and contribute to the reinforcement of the centrality of Europe. As well as assimilating non-European elements into the sport, it also problematises the internationalisation discourse, raising longer-term questions about the viability of an already precarious business model. The work is illustrated with the case of professional mountain biking, a sub-discipline that originated in the US in the 1980s, but which has become increasingly European since, significant US commercial interests notwithstanding. The paper offers a contribution to analysis of European soft power and and a reflection on Europe's place within a dynamic international order where sporting, economic and political logics are increasingly intermingled.
Beyond Europe, To The World: The Cycling Road World Championships And The UCI’s Quest For Globalisation
Patrick Bijsmans
Maastricht University
The proposed paper examines the strategic use of the 2018 Giro d’Italia cycling race, which began in Israel (the first grand tour to start outside Europe), as a tool of sports diplomacy orchestrated by Canadian-Jewish philanthropist Silvan Adams. It argues that the event functioned not only as a high-profile sporting competition but also as a geopolitical maneuver aimed at enhancing Israel's international standing, particularly within Europe. The Giro sought to elevate Israel's global visibility, projecting an image of the country that transcended traditional political narratives.
Focusing on the role of non-state actors in organizing this sports mega-event, the paper highlights the influence of Adams in promoting the race. This underscores the growing importance of diaspora communities and private philanthropy in shaping political dynamics through sport, raising questions about the role of non-traditional actors in sports diplomacy.
In the context of European Studies, this paper explores how such mega-events, hosted outside the traditional European heartland, challenge and reshape the cultural and political boundaries of European identity. By situating the 2018 Giro d’Italia within the broader framework of sports diplomacy, the paper contributes to our understanding of cycling as a European cultural element used as a strategic tool for international relations. In particular, it highlights the dissemination/ adoption of European sport to non-European countries, illustrating the intersection of culture, politics, and sport in shaping contemporary geopolitical relations.
