European Championships Road Race Women 2026
03.10
Demi Vollering (Netherlands) soloed to an emphatic victory to defend her European road race title in Šenčur, Slovenia after riding clear on the Možjanca climb with 14.6km remaining.
How to watch?
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Route
The 2026 European Championships women’s road race covers 130 kilometres from Ljubljana to Šenčur, with 1,359 metres of climbing. After a long opening section through Škofja Loka, Kranj and Kamnik, the race reaches a decisive 22.1 kilometre circuit that is tackled twice.
Its key feature is the steep climb to Možjanca, followed by rolling terrain through Štefanja Gora and a technical descent towards Krvavec. With only two ascents, the strongest climbers cannot afford to wait. The final passage of Možjanca is likely to provide the last major launchpad before a fast run into Šenčur.
Read all about the route in our preview.
Favourites
Demi Vollering starts as the clear favourite after an extraordinary 2026 season in which she has already won the Giro, Tour and World Championships. The defending European champion is ideally suited to a course that rewards explosive climbing and aggressive racing.
Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney looks the most obvious challenger after finishing second at the Worlds, while Elisa Longo Borghini again brings the consistency to stay with the strongest riders deep into the race. France can play an attacking hand through Juliette Berthet and Cédrine Kerbaol, while Noemi Rüegg, Dominika Włodarczyk and Franziska Koch are among the other riders capable of shaping the race.
Read all about the favourites in our preview.
