Travel and Transport in Cycling

The transport of athletes, teams and equipment to cycling races worldwide accounts for a significant portion of the ecological footprint in cycling. While cycling itself is considered an environmentally friendly mode of transportation, the associated travel contradicts the sport's sustainability goals.

CO2 Emissions in Cycling Transport

Professional cycling is characterized by enormous travel activity. Teams move to numerous races across multiple continents during a season. This mobility generates considerable greenhouse gas emissions.

Main Sources of Transport Emissions

The largest CO2 contributors in cycling transport are clearly identifiable and measurable:

Air travel is by far the largest source of emissions. A transatlantic flight for a 30-person team generates approximately 15-20 tons of CO2. WorldTour teams can generate over 500 tons of CO2 annually through air travel alone.

Team buses and transport vehicles are permanently in use. A modern team bus consumes an average of 30-40 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers. With an average mileage of 80,000 kilometers per season, approximately 65 tons of CO2 are generated per vehicle.

Material logistics includes the transport of spare wheels, workshop equipment and team infrastructure. Trucks transport up to 15 tons of material between races and generate additional emissions of 30-40 tons of CO2 per season.

Spectator and media travel is often overlooked but makes up a significant portion. At major stage races like the Tour de France, hundreds of thousands of spectators travel and generate several thousand tons of CO2.

Comparison of Different Transport Modes

The choice of transport mode has a direct impact on the CO2 balance. An informed decision is based on distance, timeframe and availability.

The data clearly shows: Short-haul flights are particularly inefficient and should be replaced by train or bus. Long-haul flights are often unavoidable, but CO2 intensity can be offset through compensation measures.

Sustainable Transport Strategies

Progressive teams and organizers are increasingly implementing sustainable transport concepts that reduce emissions without affecting athletic performance.

Regional Race Calendar Planning

Geographic optimization of the race calendar significantly minimizes travel distances. Teams that align their participation with regional race blocks can reduce transport emissions by 30-40%.

Cluster Strategy: Concentration on races in geographic clusters (e.g., Benelux countries, Iberian Peninsula, Scandinavian region) over a period of 2-4 weeks reduces long-distance travel.

Seasonal Regionalization: European teams remain primarily in Europe from March to October, non-European race participations are concentrated on 2-3 strategic blocks.

Electrification of Vehicle Fleet

The switch to electric team buses and support vehicles is technically feasible and reduces direct emissions by up to 80% when using green energy.

Electric team buses of the latest generation have ranges of 400-500 kilometers and can be charged during race stages or overnight. Pioneer teams like EF Education-EasyPost already have electric support vehicles in use.

Charging infrastructure is increasingly being installed at race routes and team hotels. Partnership programs between teams and energy providers enable CO2-neutral mobility.

Hybrid solutions for long distances combine electric drive for city travel and hydrogen or bio-diesel for longer distances.

Train Travel for Medium Distances

Trains are the most sustainable alternative for distances between 300 and 1,000 kilometers. Modern high-speed trains achieve comparable travel times to air travel (including check-in and transfer).

Team carriages are increasingly being offered by railway companies and enable comfortable travel with bicycle transport, catering and recovery facilities.

Success example: The Dutch team Jumbo-Visma uses trains for over 60% of European race participations and reduced transport emissions by 45%.

Material Logistics and Equipment Transport

The transport of materials and equipment accounts for a surprisingly large portion of total emissions. Innovative logistics concepts can achieve significant savings here.

Central Material Warehouses

Instead of permanently transporting all equipment, teams establish regional material warehouses in strategically favorable locations (e.g., Girona, Monaco, Southern France).

Advantages:

• Reduction of transported volume by 40-60%
• Less wear and tear through reduced handling
• Flexibility in case of race cancellations or short-term changes
• Significantly lower transport costs and emissions

Standardization and Sharing

Progressive approaches include sharing infrastructure between teams:

Equipment Sharing: Workshop equipment, spare parts inventory and technical equipment are shared at certain races, reducing transport effort.

Organizer Infrastructure: Race organizers increasingly provide basic infrastructure (workshop tents, power supply, water connections) that teams no longer need to transport themselves.

Optimized Packaging and Loading

Professional load management maximizes utilization of transport vehicles and minimizes empty runs:

• Modular packaging systems reduce empty volume
• Digital load planning software optimizes vehicle utilization
• Backhaul concepts utilize empty runs for other transports

Best Practices of Leading Teams

Several WorldTour teams have implemented ambitious sustainability programs and set standards for the entire industry.

EF Education-EasyPost: Carbon-Neutral Pioneer

The American team has committed to complete climate neutrality as the first WorldTour team:

Measures:

1. Complete CO2 accounting of all activities
2. Electric support vehicles at all European races
3. Train travel preferred for distances under 800 km
4. Compensation of unavoidable emissions through certified climate protection projects
5. Annual reduction targets of 10%

Result: 60% reduction in direct transport emissions since 2020.

INEOS Grenadiers: Technology Integration

The British team focuses on technological solutions:

• AI-supported route planning minimizes driving distances
• Telematics systems in all vehicles optimize driving behavior
• Hydrogen bus in test operation for European races
• Partnership with railway companies for preferred team transport solutions

Jumbo-Visma: Train-First Strategy

The Dutch team consistently prioritizes train travel:

• Own team carriages with bicycle transport and recovery areas
• Partnership with Dutch and Belgian railway companies
• Only flights for distances over 1,200 km or time pressure
• Integration of train connections into race calendar planning

Spectator and Event Mobility

The arrival and departure of spectators often accounts for more than 70% of total emissions at major cycling races. Innovative event concepts can achieve massive savings here.

Public Transport Integration

Successful race organizers integrate ticket prices with public transport:

Combined tickets (race entry + public transport) increase the use of public transport by 40-60%. The Tour de Suisse already offers such combinations as standard.

Shuttle services from train stations to start and finish locations reduce individual traffic. At the Deutschland Tour, free shuttle buses are deployed at all stage locations.

Park-and-Ride systems on city outskirts with frequent bus connections to the race route have proven effective and reduce traffic chaos in race locations.

Digital Alternatives

Streaming and virtual participation reduce physical presence without diminishing the experience:

• Live streams in HD quality for all major races
• Virtual reality experiences bring the race feeling home
• Community viewing in local sports facilities reduces individual travel

Emission Compensation and Carbon Credits

For unavoidable emissions, compensation programs offer a way to achieve climate neutrality. However, the quality and effectiveness of such programs varies significantly.

Certified Compensation Projects

High-quality compensation must meet the following criteria:

Gold Standard or VCS Certification: These international standards guarantee measurable, additional and permanent CO2 reduction.

Project types with high effectiveness:

• Reforestation projects with long-term land use security
• Renewable energy in developing countries
• Energy efficiency programs with social component
• Methane avoidance in agriculture

Transparency and Monitoring: Serious programs offer complete traceability and regular effectiveness reports.

Team-Owned Climate Protection Projects

Some teams go beyond pure compensation and develop their own climate protection projects:

Israel-Premier Tech finances reforestation projects in Israel with over 50,000 trees planted per year.

Lotto-Dstny supports solar energy projects in Belgium, creating regional value.

Decathlon AG2R invests in sustainable mobility projects in French municipalities.

Technological Innovations

New technologies open up additional possibilities for sustainable transport in cycling.

Hydrogen Propulsion

Hydrogen buses combine the advantages of electromobility (zero emissions) with greater range and faster refueling:

• Range: 400-500 km on one tank fill
• Refueling time: 10-15 minutes (vs. 6-8 hours charging time for e-buses)
• Emissions: Zero when using green hydrogen

Several manufacturers are developing special team buses with hydrogen propulsion. First prototypes are expected in 2025.

Second-Generation Biofuels

Synthetic fuels from sustainable sources (HVO100) reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil diesel and can be used in existing vehicles:

Advantages:

• No vehicle conversion necessary
• Immediate emission reduction possible
• Infrastructure already available
• Compatible with existing fleets

Disadvantages:

• Higher costs (approx. 30% surcharge)
• Limited availability
• Competition with other uses (aviation, shipping)

Intelligent Route Planning

AI-supported systems optimize travel routes in real time:

• Consideration of traffic conditions, weather and energy consumption
• Automatic replanning in case of delays
• Integration of multimodal transport chains (train + bus + car)
• Predictive analytics for optimal departure times

Savings potential: 15-25% reduction in driving distances and fuel consumption through optimized planning.

Future Perspectives and Goals

The cycling community has recognized that sustainable mobility is not optional but essential. Ambitious goals shape the coming years.

UCI Sustainability Agenda 2030

The world cycling federation has defined the following goals:

2025:

• 30% reduction in transport emissions compared to 2020
• At least 50% of all short distances (<500 km) by train or e-vehicles

2027:

• 50% reduction in transport emissions
• All WorldTour teams with climate neutrality certification

2030:

• 75% reduction in transport emissions
• Complete decarbonization of vehicle fleet
• Climate-neutral events as standard

Technological Roadmap

The coming years will bring significant innovations:

2025-2026: Market launch of hydrogen team buses and expanded fast-charging infrastructure for e-vehicles.

2027-2028: Widespread availability of sustainable fuels and integration of AI route planning into all team operations.

2029-2030: First emission-free Grand Tours with fully electrified vehicle fleets and climate-neutral spectator mobility.

Economic Perspective

Sustainable mobility is not only ecological but also economically sensible:

Fuel savings through optimized planning and efficient vehicles amortize investments in 3-5 years.

Sponsorship attractiveness: Teams with strong sustainability agenda more easily attract environmentally conscious sponsors and achieve higher sponsorship volumes.

Operational efficiency: Reduced travel activity means less stress for athletes and staff, which improves performance.