Surprise! Slovenia Reveals 2026 European Road Race Route Perfect for Pogačar

There are few courses that don’t suit Slovenian super-cyclist Tadej Pogačar. Not even Milan-San Remo. Only the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix are proving troublesome for King Pog.

So maybe the Slovenian organizing committee of the 2026 European road championships had some excuse when it revealed a set of parcours for this October that will have Pogačar purring with pleasure.

The men’s road race out of Ljubljana features repeated ascents of the Možjanca climb. The 2km kicker averages 10 percent and ramps up to 15 percent.

The 196km parcours looks like Liège-Bastogne-Liège or maybe Il Lombardia, only easier. As a reminder, Pogačar has won those two monuments a total of nine times.

The 130km women’s road race is also centered on the Možjanca. The men lap the climb five times, the women two times.

Both men’s and women’s elite races this October finish in Šenčur, a short hop outside of Ljubljana, and just down the road from Pogačar’s hometown of Klanec.

Pogačar reportedly even had a hand in designing courses that navigate his OG training territory.

Slovenia hosts European championship for the first time

2026 will be the first time Slovenia has hosted the European championships. The nation is also bidding to host the grand départ of the 2029 Tour de France.

Some may say it’s about time given riders like Pogačar, Primož Roglič, Urksa Zigart, and Matej Mohorič have driven the narrative for years.

It’s understood that Pogačar intends to defend the European title he won over Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas last year in France.

However, scheduling is tricky for Pogačar and the entire European peloton.

The women’s and men’s road races on October 2 and 3 are just one week after the world championship road races on the other side of the Atlantic in Montréal. Being the modern Cannibal, Pogačar wants to win both titles (again).

Officials said Monday they deliberately drew a set of parcours near the national Ljubljana airport to ease some travel concerns.

Local broadcaster RTVSlo has described the European championships as “the largest cycling event in the history of Slovenia and one of the biggest sporting events of the year in our country.”

Slovenian officials are pulling out all the stops to ensure Pogačar will be at the start line – and maybe on the podium at the finish line, too.

European road championship schedule 2026

• Women’s elite road race (130km): October 3
• Men’s elite road race (196km): October 4
• Women’s and men’s elite TT (both 22km): October 7

Men’s road race route

Women’s road race route