Through the five stages of this year’s race
This year's race will, as usual, consist of five stages, starting on Wednesday, 17 June, in the centre of the Šalek Valley, in Velenje, and finishing, as is traditional, in the land of cviček and vineyard cottages, in Novo mesto, on Sunday, 21 June. The queen stage will also take the race into Italy.
More information on stages
Stages and special features on the routes
Each stage of the Tour of Slovenia takes cyclists through fascinating towns and cities, past natural and cultural landmarks worth visiting long after the race has ended. Check this year’s routes of the Tour of Slovenia.
Stage 1: Velenje–Rogaška Slatina
17 June 2026
The first stage of the Tour of Slovenia 2026 takes us from Velenje to Rogaška Slatina along roads that the cycling teams of the Slovenian race know well. From the Šaleška Valley, known for its rich mining heritage, cyclists will ride towards Šoštanj. Along the way, they will pass Žalec, Slovenia's hop-growing capital, home to the famous Beer Fountain and the Eco Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing. To reach the final destination in Rogaška Slatina, famous for its unique mineral water with the highest magnesium content in the world and its exceptional crystal, cyclists pass by another historic town, Šentjur.
Stage 1 details
Stage 2: Radlje ob Dravi–Ormož
18 June 2026
The second day brings a true cycling experience, taking place along part of the renowned Drava Cycling Route. The cyclists set off along the right bank of the Drava River, starting in Radlje ob Dravi, and continue along the foothills of the green Pohorje and its rich forests. In Maribor, home to the oldest vine in the world, views begin to open up towards Slovenske gorice, where the wine-growing hills produce the finest wines of the Štajerska region. A wave of cheering crowds awaits on arrival in Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia and the capital of the kurent, the most popular traditional Slovenian Shrovetide figure. Lake Ptuj, with its rich natural surroundings, captivates with the vastness of its water surface. To conclude the stage, the cyclists face the winding roads of the Jeruzalem wine-growing hills leading to Ormož, where Stage 2 finishes.
Stage 2 details
Stage 3: Maribor–Celje
19 June 2026
Friday at the Tour of Slovenia begins at one of the most picturesque riverside locations, in the Lent district in Maribor, where striking views of the Drava River and the capital of Štajerska unfold. Home to the oldest vine in the world and Slovenia's second largest city, it is traditionally recognised as an excellent host for training camps and races of elite cyclists. Along the edges of the green Pohorje and its rich forests, the start of the weekend is spiced up with several interesting climbs all the way to Celje, where Stage 3 finishes. The race then continues through Celje, a historic city shaped by the Ancient Romans, the Counts of Celje and world traveller Alma Karlin. In the town of the counts, watched over by Celje Castle, cultural and active experiences are uniquely intertwined amid rich archaeological heritage, a modern urban pulse and a green character.
Stage 3 details
Stage 4: Kranj–Kranjska Gora
20 June 2026
The queen stage of the Tour of Slovenia brings a unique challenge and an unforgettable experience for spectators. From Kranj, France Prešeren's town, the cyclists set off towards the Julian Alps along the Upper Sava Valley to Kranjska Gora and Rateče, home to the ski jumping hills and the ski flying hill in Planica. Here, they briefly enter neighbouring Italy and return to Slovenia via the climb to the Predel Pass. After the iconic descent to the village of Log pod Mangartom in the Soča Valley, set against the idyllic backdrop of Triglav National Park, the route leads the cyclists into the Trenta Valley and on to another climb: the Vršič Pass, the highest road pass in Slovenia. From the summit, the route returns from the Primorska side to the Gorenjska side of Slovenia's only national park, finishing in the alpine tourist and sports centre of the Julian Alps, Kranjska Gora.
Stage 4 details
Stage 5: Litija–Novo mesto
21 June 2026
The final stage follows a scenic circular route through the Dolenjska region, with the traditional grand finish in Novo Mesto. The region, known as the land of vineyard cottages and Cviček wine, captivates with its rolling hills and rich wine culture. The stage begins in Litija, the starting point of the traditional Fran Levstik Literary Walk to Čatež. Cyclists will then pass through Trebnje and Šentrupert, home to an open-air museum featuring Slovenia's unique hayracks. The race continues through Mokronog before concluding in Novo Mesto.
Stage 5 details
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