“I am happy and proud that we have brought the European Championships to Slovenia. We will have the chance to watch thrilling battles between the world’s best riders, most of whom come from Europe. I am especially pleased that we will be able to see our own stars racing at home in the green kit. This championship is a thank-you and recognition to everyone in Slovenian cycling who has spent more than a century building our successful story,” said Mardjonovic in quotes collected by Siol.Government: a breakthrough moment for Slovenian cycling identity
Nationally, the project is being framed as both a sporting milestone and a showcase for the country. Minister for Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaz Han described the signing as a genuine step-change for the sport.
“With this signing, we have taken a huge step for Slovenian cycling. Slovenia is a sporting nation, and in cycling we have made progress which we could barely have imagined in the past. I will be thrilled to see Pogacar, Roglic, Mohoric and all the other world-class riders on Slovenian roads,” said Minister Han.
He also stressed how important the event will be in terms of visibility, organisation and long-term support.
“This will be an opportunity to once again show that we are excellent organisers and to present the beauty of Slovenia. The state will gladly support the Cycling Federation financially. For more than 30 years we have successfully organised the Tour of Slovenia, and I am looking forward to great racing and to seeing Slovenian flags flying proudly,” he added.
Pogacar dominated at the 2025 European Championships to take a famous win
UEC: timing built for strongest possible participation
From a continental perspective, the championships are expected to attract full-strength line-ups because of their position one week after the World Championships in Montreal. UEC president Enrico Della Casa made clear that the governing body sees Slovenia as a trusted partner for a major event.
“We have just signed an important document marking the start of our joint path towards the 2026 European Championships. The event will take place one week after the World Championships, which means the best riders will be present in Slovenia — and you Slovenians have quite a few very strong riders,” said Della Casa.
He acknowledged the scale of the task ahead, but pointed to encouraging early work on the project. “It will be a major event, and there is still a lot of work to do. We must prepare the routes, hotels and technical guidelines, but the early stages have gone very well, as we have already begun work on logistics and organisation. I have no doubt that Slovenia will deliver an excellent event,” he added.
With the dates now locked in and Slovenia’s political and sporting leadership aligned behind the project, attention turns to course design, logistical detail and team scheduling. Above all, anticipation is already building around a narrative rarely available at continental level: the defending champion and one of cycling’s defining figures racing for gold in his own national kit, on his own national roads, at the height of his powers.