More than half of trips people make every day are shorter than two kilometres, so why not walk or cycle for at least some of them? That is the idea behind a national initiative dubbed Let's Bike to Work Full of Momentum, which is returning this spring for the fourth time and is open to both businesses and individuals.

Participants are encouraged to bike to work in April and May, log their activity, and compete in weekly challenges for biking-related prizes. The top prizes include a cycling vacation in the Netherlands and three iconic Rog Pony bikes.

Another game feature is badges that riders can earn for their achievements, such as riding five kilometres in a single trip or riding to work every day for a week.

Participating employers will be able to access the data for their employees and encourage them with internal challenges throughout. Small groups of workers are also invited to join, organiser Nela Halilović said at the event launch on 1 April.

The challenge was first held in spring 2023 and then again in autumn 2023 and spring 2024. So far more than 3,500 cyclists have taken part and interest is growing by the year.

"In the first year we had five employers working with us, last year that number grew to 55. This year 53 employers joined us in only the first 24 hours," Halilović said.

In last year's rendition alone the participants cycled more than 230,000 kilometres, saving an estimated 37 tons of CO2 emissions.

It is important to encourage people to use their bikes for the short everyday trips, said Dutch Ambassador to Slovenia Johan Verboom. "The Netherlands has 17 million people and 23 million bikes, meaning there are more bikes than people," he said, adding that the Dutch complete more than a quarter of their trips on bikes.