The Swedish Road Administration has decided that Styrkeprøven will send the participants into Oslo on pedestrian and cycle paths. The solution that the Norwegian Road Administration has chosen has not been tested by us before they made their final decision. This solution has also not previously been mentioned either in the police’s statements or in letters from the Norwegian Road Administration, this route has been mentioned. We were notified of this decision on Friday evening a week before the event.

We see the choice of this route as a very poor solution in terms of safety for everyone who uses these footpaths and cycleways and not least for our participants. In addition, parts of this stretch are widely used for roller skiing training. It is never a good solution to mix cyclists and pedestrians as we in Norway plan to do on our pedestrian and cycle path network. To remedy these problems, the speed limit for cyclists is walking speed on these roads. In Norway, the use of footpaths and cycleways is usually so small that we can afford mixed traffic, but the footpath and cycleway network is hardly dimensioned for the use the road authority has decided here.

Styrkeprøven is a large event with several major logistical challenges. If we suddenly put all the participants far outside Oslo with all their bike cases, other luggage and bags, far away from their planned finish and without good solutions to get to their planned destination, then it will create even more chaos than if we let them cycle into Vallhall. That solution will be so bad that it is actually better to stop timing at Hvam and follow the decision from the Swedish Road Administration.

We have therefore loyally marked walking and cycling routes from Hvam to Vallhall Arena and we ask that you who take part in Styrkeprøven follow these into Vallhall. If someone should choose to organize their own transport into Vallhall from Hvam, we accept that. We are not going to disqualify anyone for using a car on this stretch. You can also use Googlemaps or other map solutions and choose your own way into Vallhall.

Here is a photo special of the route Hvam-Vallhall.

In Oslo it is often difficult to find footpaths and cycle paths when you are not familiar with them. This year, there is also road work on Gjelleråsen which complicates the passage of this area on footpaths and cycleways. We have therefore created this attached picture overview which shows how you must navigate the pedestrian and cycle path from Hvam over Gjelleråsen to enter along Trondheimsvegen.

Remember that as a cyclist on footpaths and cycleways you must reduce to walking speed when you pass on foot and that you have a duty to give way to most other people moving on these roads, not least to all cars coming out of exits or side roads.