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.

There are no winners, but times to checkpoints along the way and to complete the course are available to individual riders post-event.

Since the ride takes place close to midsummer, you can enjoy the extended daylight hours at this northern latitude. The largest number of finishers complete the ride in around 14 hours, but the fastest get round in a little over seven.

Don’t think that because the ride is around the shores of Lake Vättern it’s all flat. There are plenty of ups and downs with Fagerhult the highest town at 196m elevation and a total of over 2,000 metres of elevation gain. 

If 315km sounds a bit much for you, there is also a 150km route, two different 100km loops, and MTB and a kids’ ride too.

There are loads of accommodation options for participants in and around Motala, with hotels, B&Bs, hostels and camping, while many residents offer rooms or entire apartments or houses to riders.

And a bike expo to match the ride in size 

For this year's event the organisers have added the Nordic Bike Expo, which will take place around the harbour in Motola, right next to the start and finish area. It will be a highlight of the events surrounding the ride and is open on 6th and 7th June prior to the ride and also 12th, 13th and 14th of June over the weekend of the Vätternrundan ride itself.

There will be around 60 bike brands exhibiting, making it the largest bike expo in Scandinavia. Visitors will have the opportunity to browse bikes and equipment for road, gravel and mountain bikers from beginners to elite riders, as well as bikes and kit for recreational bike riders. 

Leading brands partnering the Vätternrundan ride include Shimano, Canyon, Craft, Wahoo – oh, and Carlsberg.

You can find food vendors, a kids’ play area, speaking events and a whole range of other activities, as well as bikes, bikes and more bikes. There’s also a test track where you can try out a wide range of the latest bikes yourself.

There’s more info about the Nordic Bike Expo on this link for potential exhibitors.

Zwift has got into the act too, with a Vätternrundan group ride series leading up to the ride and there are more training programmes online for riders aiming to complete the course in sub-15, sub-12 or even sub-10 hour times.

Interested in riding the Vätternrundan? You can find out more and register here.