Slovenia’s 2026 Euros bid opens door for Pogacar’s home title shot
Reports suggest that Slovenia have bid for what would be their first time hosting a major road cycling championships.
Slovenia has officially bid to host the 2026 European Road Cycling Championships, according to Italy’s OA Sport, in what would be a first for a nation who are currently enjoying a golden era in the sport with the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglič and Matej Mohorič
Slovenia’s federation president, Pavel Marđonović, confirmed the bid according to OA Sport, stating, "We thank the national government for its support and trust. The European Cycling Championships would be the largest sporting event Slovenia has ever hosted."Now we have the task of convincing the UEC that we will be reliable hosts, so we can officially finalise the agreement and then begin work on a top-notch organisation."
The European Cycling Union (UEC) is yet to select a venue for the 2026 championships after plans for another multi-disciplined championships, such as in Glasgow in 2018, and Munich in 2022, have failed to materialise.
This news follows previous reports that have indicated Slovenia’s ambitions to host the start of the Tour de France, a race Tadej Pogačar has now won four times, in 2029. For that same year, it has already been announced that Italy will host the European Championships in L’Aquila, the city where Kim Le Court won the final stage of the Giro d’Italia Women in 2024, and where Pello Bilbao landed his first Grand Tour stage win in the 2019 Giro d’Italia.
Before any potential home championships, Slovenia will look to the upcoming championships in France’s Drôme-Ardèche region. The road race takes place just a week after the UCI road race World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, and currently features a stacked provisional startlist including Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.
Despite their current prominence in the sport, Slovenia has yet to secure a medal in the elite men's road race at the European Championships. Pogačar has participated once previously in the elite event in 2021, finishing 5th, but would likely target a home championship in 2026.
