The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region with the “Ciclovia Pedemontana” won the ninth edition of the “Ciclovia Pedemontana” a few days ago in Lucca. Green Road Award, theItalian Oscar of Cycle Tourism, the prize that is awarded every year to the green cycle paths of the Regions that promote holidays on two wheels with services aimed at slow tourism. The second prize goes to the Calabria Region for the Cycle/pedestrian path of Val di Neto, while in third place is the Autonomous Province of Trento with the Green Road of Flowers. Special mention of the Jury of Apennine Bike Tour presented by the Liguria Region while the Legambiente Mention rewards the Sardinia Region, at its first victory, for Il Santa Barbara Mining Trail. Finally, the Press’ Special Mention goes to Campania for The Silent Way. The bike “goes” although it would be more accurate to say “travels”. It is the new fashion, the new trend, a new (slower) style of traveling and enjoying landscapes and silence. And it is a constant growth in cycle tourism that in our country last year recorded 56 million presences, 6.7% of the total presences in Italy, with a direct economic impact estimated at over 5.5 billion euros, up 35% on 2022 and 19% on 2019. These are the data from the Report “Traveling with the bike 2024”made by Isnart And Legambiente. The bike is growing and so are cycle paths and routes to travel on, which every year the Green Road Award gives it the space and honors it deserves. The Pedemontana Cycle Route runs from Sacile to Gorizia for about 180 km through the Friulian Dolomites, the Cornino nature reserve, medieval towns such as Gemona and Pinzano al Tagliamento, the Lombard art of Cividale del Friuli, the wine-growing areas of the DOC Grave, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Isonzo and Collio and seven of the thirteen Slow Food presidia of the Region. A route suitable for everyone due to its extremely comfortable surface, average gradients of less than 2%, services and assistance. In particular, the first half of the route runs parallel to the Sacile-Gemona tourist railway, allowing cycle tourists to use trains with historical material. It was born in the early 2000s with the aim of building an itinerary to promote products and today it is one of the nine itineraries of the Network of cycle paths of regional interest. “The recognition of the Oscar of Italian cycle tourism to the Pedemontana Cycle Route demonstrates the quality of the offer that Friuli Venezia Giulia is able to put in place both from the point of view of hospitality and services to tourists and in terms of signage and road system – comments the governor Massimiliano Fedriga– It is thanks to this union and the far-sighted work of constant promotion and enhancement of the facilities carried out in recent years that the region can today boast one of the most beautiful cycling routes in Italy”. An acknowledgement from the Italian Oscar of cycling tourism that is also an excellent calling card for Friuli Venezia Giulia in view of Gorizia European Capital of Culture 2025.