Jesper Pørksen has been the director of Danish Cycling Tourism since the organisation started operating in January 2015. Danish Cycling Tourism is a non-profit association of public and private partners. The main purpose is to develop cycling tourism in Denmark. Danish Cycling Tourism has been the EuroVelo Coordination Centre for Denmark since 2016. Jesper Pørksen is a historian and journalist by education. He started his cycling tourism career back in 2006 as a bicycle guide for a German tour operator. Before becoming director at Danish Cycling Tourism, he worked for the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and for a regional tourism development agency. Jesper Pørksen uses the bicycle for daily transport in his hometown Copenhagen, on holidays and over the past ten years he has taken up randonneuring.

Esther van Garderen is CEO of the Dutch Cycling Union (Fietsersbond) and she is an experienced expert in urban and transport planning and policy making. In her words: The best mobility policy is making the right strategic choices in urban planning and development. She is committed to the mission of cycling happiness. “When cyclists are under pressure, Fietsersbond takes action. We won’t stop until everyone can experience #cyclinghappiness in The Netherlands!”

Eric Nijland is director of the Fietsplatform since its founding in 1987. Fietsplatform (Dutch Cycling Platform) is the National coordination center for cycle tourism and the EuroVelo Coordinator for the Netherlands. Their mission is to make the Netherlands the best recreational cycling country in the world, now and in the future.

Frank Bouma joined the Amsterdam metropolitan public transit authority (SRA/VRA) in 2009 and has been working as a mobility professional both in the public and private sector since. From 2014, Frank started focusing on sustainable mobility and managed a number of bike-related projects both at home and abroad. In 2022 he joined the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO ) and is part of the active mobility team that aims to encourage cycling and walking.

An international executive with over 25 years’ experience throughout Europe, the United States and Australia, Skadi Tirpak – Managing Director of the Dutch Cycling Embassy – has worked across government, consultancy and international collaboration. She brings cultural awareness and a steady ability to align organisations around shared ambitions, enabling effective cooperation across sectors and borders. Skadi believes in practical solutions that contribute to healthy, liveable and green places.