06 NOVEMBER 2025

Meet the Healthy Cycling Challenge winners

Across city streets and village paths, three grassroots projects are transforming cycling into a powerful movement for health, equity and inclusion. 

hcc-winners-image

Introduction

Launched in April 2025 by Cities for Better Health and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), the Healthy Cycling Challenge set out to find practical, scalable ideas that use the power of cycling to improve well-being, strengthen communities, and make urban neighbourhoods more sustainable.

The response was remarkable – with more than 240 applications from 46 countries – highlighting a growing global movement to rethink mobility as a force for inclusion and healthier living. 

From ideas to impact

An expert panel shortlisted six finalists and selected three winning projects for their innovation, scalability and potential to make cycling a visible force for healthier, more connected cities. 

Congratulations to: 

 

  • Pedalando Juntas – São Paulo, Brazil (Lead organisation: Instituto Caminhabilidade)
  • Pedalea Seguro – Peru (Lead organisation: Peruvian Society for Environmental Law)
  • Pedal Paathshala – Nepal (Lead organisation: Cycle City Network Nepal (CCNN))

Each winning project will receive USD 100,000 in funding to scale impact and transform local innovation into lasting change.

“The Healthy Cycling Challenge has shown the creativity and determination of local communities around the world to use cycling as a driver of healthier, fairer and more sustainable communities,” said Laurianne Krid, CEO of ECF.

Read the press release from ECF and Cities for Better Health.

Local innovation in action

The Healthy Cycling Challenge shows how cycling can do more than move people – it can bring communities together and make daily life healthier and more inclusive. 

In São Paulo’s Peinha community, Pedalando Juntas is redefining mobility from the ground up. The resident-led initiative offers free community-shared bicycles to promote movement and connection, especially for women and children travelling to the nearby Pinheiros River park.

 

Co-created with the local community, the initiative will expand into two additional communities. By increasing safe access to active mobility, Pedalando Juntas supports physical activity, mental well-being and social connection, while empowering women and children to move freely through their city.

 

“We are very happy to have been selected among so many great and relevant projects around the world!” said Leticia Sabino, Founder and Director of Instituto Caminhabilidade. “We understand the responsibility of creating a truly transformative project and hope it can serve as an example and be replicated in many contexts.”

 

 

 

Pedalea Segro is working to strengthen urban cycling in Peru through data management, legal analysis and community engagement. By implementing tactical urbanism interventions with youth cycling activists and empowering urban youth collectives, the initiative helps build leadership for sustainable, active mobility.

 

Building on a successful pilot, the Pedalea Seguro will be scaled to three cities – Lima, Tacna and Trujillo – to map cycling infrastructure, design digital dashboards and support local policy improvements.

 

“This recognition will help us advance sustainable mobility in three Peruvian cities, working hand in hand with cycling collectives to defend the right to a sustainable, human and safe city,” said Carolina Butrich, Conservamos por Naturaleza's Manager, Peruvian Society for Environmental Law.

 

 

 

Pedal Paathshala is a community-based initiative that combines cycling education for women, teachers and students with a school-based library system in marginalised communities in Bharatpur, Chitwan.

 

Designed to address obesity and promote physical activity among women and children, the project has been implemented in ten schools. Weekly rides and safe cycling trails will help children adopt active habits, while empowering women as cycling instructors to help create a lasting impact for both health and social equity.

 

“We are very excited to collaborate with students and women of Bharatpur, Chitwan, to cultivate a bicycle culture and create healthier urban neighbourhoods,” said Chakshu Bikram Malla, President of CCNN. 

 

 

 

Ready to be inspired by the power of cycling? Join the upcoming City Health Talk webinar on 10 December 2025 (14.00-15.00 CET) to meet the winners and discover how their ideas are shaping healthier, more inclusive cities.

Register

now https://www.linkedin.com/events/7395024736629592064/