More than half of all adults do not engage in sufficient physical activity (150 minutes of moderate intensity per week) (WHO, 2020). The mobility sector is responsible for around a third of greenhouse gas emissions, 94% of which are generated by road traffic (Swiss Federal Council, 2022). As an active and sustainable form of mobility, cycling represents a solution to two major challenges in terms of health and sustainability.

Given the health and sustainability co-benefits of cycling (Senn et al., 2022), increasing the modal share of cycling is a key political objective in the fields of mobility and public health. However, the use of bicycles for travel remains a minority practice among the population, despite the fact that two-thirds of Swiss households own a working bicycle (SFSO & ARE, 2023). Yet cycling covers a wide range of recreational sub-practices with great potential. 45% of the population cycle occasionally for leisure, while mountain biking is one of the most popular sports in Switzerland (OFSPO, 2020).

As the use of bicycles expands, what potential is there to move from recreational to "utilitarian" cycling for travel purposes? What permeabilities and obstacles exist between utilitarian and recreational cycling? A better understanding of the links between recreational and utilitarian cycling is an essential lever for increasing the practice of cycling in Switzerland.

As part of a research partnership, OUVEMA and the City of Yverdon-les-Bains wanted to answer these questions by surveying participants at two existing recreational/sport cycling events:

1. The upcoming Yverdon-les-Bains Triathlon will be the thirteenth edition of the event. Every year, it attracts between 600 and over 1,000 participants, starting from the beach in Yverdon-les-Bains.
2. The Rallye Cyclo Touriste has been an annual event promoting cycle tourism and soft mobility in Yverdon-les-Bains for over 40 years. This non-timed event brings together some 500 cyclists every year, and has been organized by the Sports and Physical Activity Department for over 10 years.

The results of the project will be used to formulate proposals for measures aimed at attracting other audiences, and thus increasing cycling among the population of the town of Yverdon-les-Bains.