Every Race is Big with Tadej Pogačar: Slovenia Prepares for European Cycling Championship

Slovenia is gearing up to host the European Cycling Championship in Ljubljana and Šenčur on October 4, an event that promises to be a unique spectacle for local fans. The championship will see Slovenia's star cyclists, including Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglič, Matej Mohorič, and others, competing together in national colors.

Unlike their usual rivalries on the club circuit, these top athletes will unite as teammates, aiming to secure a second consecutive European title for Slovenia. The race, culminating in a climb up Možjanco, will showcase the collective strength of the Slovenian team.

The organization of the championship faces a compressed timeline. With the decision to host made less than a year before the event and a recent change in the leadership of the Slovenian Cycling Federation, organizers are working under significant pressure. They must accomplish in months what similar events typically require three years to prepare for, a challenge that might be met with a characteristic "Balkan" improvisational spirit.

“

There is no doubt that the organizational team will do an excellent job, even though the decision on organization came less than a year before the event and there has been a change in the leadership of the Slovenian Cycling Federation in the meantime.

Slovenia stepped in to host the championship after Munich withdrew from co-hosting a larger multi-sport European Championship. Andraž Vehovar, the new president of the Slovenian Cycling Federation, has taken charge of organizing the event, which was initially agreed upon by his predecessor, Pavel Marđonović, and the President of the European Cycling Union (UEC), Enrico Della Casa. The Slovenian government has committed three million euros in state support.

While the European Championship might not always carry the prestige of other cycling events, Pogačar's confirmed participation significantly elevates its profile. His presence alone justifies the substantial investment and ensures the competition will capture global cycling attention. This event offers an invaluable experience for the Slovenian team and is expected to be a well-spent allocation of the 3.6 million euro budget, particularly if the organization is executed flawlessly. The excitement of a major competition will also be shared by younger Slovenian cyclists, who will compete alongside the world's best.

“

The experience will be invaluable, and there is no doubt about the magnitude of the competition if the ruler of the cycling world is on the start line.