In this episode of Newsmakers Teodor Georgiev speaks to avid cyclist Emmanuel Plattard who turned his passion into The Happy Cyclist, a start-up which is the first mobile bicycle repair business in Luxembourg.

Emmanuel used to live in Montreal and London where cyclists take to the lanes in far more testing weather conditions than those in Luxembourg. Nevertheless, he saw potential in the cycling culture after arriving in the grand duchy.

“In Luxembourg I thought, cars are pretty respectful towards cyclists. When they take over or when they make a right turn, they always check if you’re in their blind spot,” he says.

He admits, however, that there could be a lot more bicycle lanes and dedicated cycling paths. Those may exist sporadically throughout Luxembourg City, for example on avenue de la Liberté on the other side of the tram rails or in Kirchberg, also in proximity to where the tram passes. But in most other instances, cyclists have to share the road with cars and are often relegated to a thin margin on the side of the road.

“When you look at a road in the Netherlands, like a country road, you will see that 50% of that road is for the bicycles. On each side of the road, you have a bicycle path and if you combine them that would make for 50% of the road. That just tells you that the road is not only for cars, it is also for cyclists,” adds Emmanuel.

For the owner of The Happy Cyclist, Luxembourg is car-centric “because of the usual perks that employers are giving to their employees.” He points at car-leasing plans as one such example. But Emmanuel has found a hint of positivity in some businesses’ efforts such as Banque du Luxembourg with whom he’s struck a partnership to provide bicycle repair services for their employees. Here, the number of cyclists arriving in their sports gear which they are soon to replace with a dapper suit and tie is higher than one might expect.

Tune in on , and on to get the rest of the story including Emmanuel’s vision on how not only the government but businesses and residents can make a push to change the cycling culture.

On 4 June will organise a demonstration to promote the improvement of infrastructure for bicycles and soft mobility.