Looking for your next cycling challenge? This 315km Swedish sportive should be on your list

If you are looking to find a new cycling challenge this coming summer, Vätternrundan is one to shortlist. It’s the ultimate endurance sportive challenge, riding around a stunning 315km (196 mile) course in central Sweden.

You may not have heard of the Vätternrundan, but it’s a huge event both in its distance and the number of participants. The ride is around Lake Vättern, the second largest lake in Sweden and starts and finishes in Motala, around 250km southwest of Stockholm. It takes place on 13th and 14th June this year, and it’s still not too late to sign up for this spectacular sportive.

Vätternrundan is in its sixtieth edition in 2025 and with 25,000 riders it’s considered the world’s largest recreational bike event. It attracts riders from over 70 countries each year, with its overseas profile increasing year-on-year and over a third of participants now from outside Sweden. There are around 80,000 riders and spectators in total over the event week.

Participants set off in small groups throughout the day and, although it’s called a race by its organisers, it’s a classic sportive format, where you can take your own time, rest up when you need to and find refreshments at the nine feed stations or in the numerous towns and villages along the way.