Freedom is never a given. That's why BoZ Expeditions, a group of dedicated athletes from Bergen op Zoom, is organising an impressive multi-day cycling tour together with the Brabantse Wal Liberation Foundation: Pedals of Honour.

The journey begins at Juno Beach in Normandy and ends at the Grote Markt in Bergen op Zoom. The participants will symbolically follow the path of Canadian soldiers who fought for our freedom during the Second World War.

En route, they cycle past monuments, military cemeteries and historic sites where Canadian soldiers fought and died. At each location, their bravery, commitment and sacrifices are commemorated. In this way, their stories remain alive and are passed on to future generations.

Met Pedals of Honour wordt geld ingezameld voor het nieuwe Military Cemeteries Visitor Centre in Bergen op Zoom. This will be a special place where remembrance, stories and education come together, and where there will be lasting attention for our liberators.

Cycle along for the final stage

Op Sunday 20 September 2026 can everyone be part of Pedals of Honour. You can join the final stage which starts at the war memorial on the Onderstal in Woensdrecht and by the Gibson & Warwick monument in the City Park in Steenbergen. People of all ages can participate and be part of this stage with his or her city bike. This stage will be ridden at city bike pace. 

The participants are cycling from these locations in Steenbergen and Woensdrecht to Bergen op Zoom., together with members of the Canadian South Alberta Regiment and BoZ Expeditions. Along the way they pass several historical sites that commemorate the liberation of the region.

This stage also passes the new Military War Cemeteries Visitor Centre, where there will be a stop with time for a short viewing and visit to the war cemeteries. The stage finishes festively on the Grote Markt in Bergen op Zoom.

Pedals of Honour raises funds for the new visitor centre, which focuses on education and keeping alive the stories of the liberation and the role of Allied soldiers. Participation in the final stage costs €10.00. You can register via the Bevrijding Brabantse Wal website: bevrijdingbrabantsewal.nl or via the BoZExpeditions website: bozexpeditions.com.

Cycle along, encourage the participants or support the initiative. Together we keep the memory of our liberators alive.

General information

Eventrecreational cycle ride at city bike speed.
TimeGathering from 12:00. Departure 13:00. 
Participants: everyone who has registered and paid €10.00 for the charity: The Visitor Information Centre. Children up to 12 years old free. Canadians from the South Alberta Regiment who are currently in Bergen op Zoom will also be cycling along. 
Route: via cycle paths and under the supervision of traffic controllers and first aid.

Programme for Sunday 20 September 2026:
12:00: gather at outdoor locations: war monument (Sherman tank) in Woensdrecht, 
                 Onderstal 39 or the Warwick & Gibson monument in the Stadspark in Steenbergen.
13:00 hours: departure from the off-site locations in Woensdrecht and Steenbergen to 
                  Visitor centre on the Ruytershoveweg in Bergen op Zoom. 
14:00: Arrival at the Visitor Centre.
15:00: Departure from the Visitor Centre to the Grote Markt, Bergen op Zoom.
16:00: Arrival at Grote Markt, welcome and short speech by Mayor Margo Mulder  
                  and presentation of the cheque to Giel Janssen, chairman of the 
                  Visitors Information Centre. 
17:00: End of event.

Background information

On 14 September this year, a small group of 3 cyclists from BoZExpeditions will set off from the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy to Bergen op Zoom. The cycle ride, named Pedals of Honour, is approximately 800 kilometres long and follows the route that the Canadians fought along for our freedom. Along the way, the cyclists will visit memorials and fields of honour. Through this cycle ride, BoZExpeditions aims to raise funds for audio equipment for the Brabantse Wal Military Fields of Honour Visitor Centre.

Who are the men behind Pedals of Honour? 
Caspar van Tilborg, Michiel Konings and Joost van der Velden are part of BoZExpeditions. BoZExpeditions originated from a shared passion for adventure, discovery and pushing boundaries. What began as a group of friends from Bergen op Zoom with a love for nature, sport, challenge and culture is gradually growing into an organisation with ambition, vision and character. For them, it is not just about the destination, but above all about the experience, teamwork and the story behind every project. They have devised a plan to undertake this challenging cycling tour to raise money for the Visitor Information Centre, and Bevrijding Brabantse Wal is supporting them with the organisation and logistical matters so that they only have to focus on the physical achievement.

Route Normandy to Bergen op Zoom:
– 14 September: Juno Beach Centre to Lisieux
– 15 September: Lisieux to Dieppe
– 16 September: Dieppe to Amiens
– 17 September: Amiens to Ypres
– 18 September: Ypres via Sloedam to Liberation Museum Nieuwdorp
– 19 September: Liberation Museum Nieuwdorp to Canadalaan Bergen op Zoom