European Championships Road Race Men 2026
04.10
Remco Evenepoel overcame a crash on the penultimate lap to beat Giulio Ciccone in a photo finish in Mencur after he had appeared flustered by the Italian's reluctance to work in the finale. Christian Scaroni took third.
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Route
The men’s elite road race at the 2026 European Championships covers 196.3 kilometres from Ljubljana to Šenčur, with 2,571 metres of climbing. After an opening section through Škofja Loka, Kranj and Kamnik, the race enters a 22.1 kilometre finishing circuit for five laps. The decisive feature is Možjanca, a 2.1 kilometre climb averaging 10.2 percent, followed by rolling roads and a technical descent towards Krvavec.
Repeated ascents should steadily reduce the field, making accumulated fatigue a major factor. The final climb will shape the selection, but the fast run into Šenčur leaves room for late attacks and tactical racing.
Read all about the route in our preview.
Favourites
Remco Evenepoel heads the contenders in Slovenia as he looks to add the European road title to an already remarkable championship record. Home favourite Primož Roglič is among his biggest rivals, with the steep Možjanca circuit well suited to his climbing strength and race craft.
Juan Ayuso, Romain Grégoire and Giulio Ciccone bring further attacking quality, while Mads Pedersen offers a different threat if he can survive the repeated climbs. Jakob Omrzel gives Slovenia another intriguing option after an impressive Vuelta, while Jan Christen, Marc Hirschi, Mathias Vacek and Maximilian Schachmann add further depth to a race with several possible tactical scenarios.
Read all about the favourites in our preview.
