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Follow us on GoogleThe World Championships in Rwanda are exciting, sure, but starting Wednesday, there’s plenty of racing in Europe too. Alongside the Tour of Luxembourg, the Tour of Slovakia kicks off: a five-day stage race with a very interesting list of participants. Which riders will show their form ahead of the battle for the rainbow jerseys in Africa? IDLProCycling.com tells you everything you need to know.
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A look at the Slovakia honor roll shows a clear shift in level from 2017 onward. That makes sense, as the stage race was upgraded from a 2.2 to a 2.1 event that year. Big names like Jan Tratnik, Julian Alaphilippe, and Peter Sagan have taken wins here over the years. What stands out most, though, is the dominance of Soudal–Quick Step, with five overall victories in the last ten editions.
Latest winners Tour of Slovakia
2024 Mauro Schmid
2023 Rémi Cavagna
2022 Josef Cerny
2021 Peter Sagan
2020 Jannik Steimle
2019 Yves Lampaert
2018 Julian Alaphilippe
2017 Jan Tratnik
2016 Mauro Finetto
2015 Davide Viganò
2023 Rémi Cavagna
2022 Josef Cerny
2021 Peter Sagan
2020 Jannik Steimle
2019 Yves Lampaert
2018 Julian Alaphilippe
2017 Jan Tratnik
2016 Mauro Finetto
2015 Davide Viganò
Course, favorites stage wins and timings Tour of Slovakia 2025
Stage 1, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025: Bardejov - Bardejov (141.2 km)
Three categorized climbs are on the menu, but the expectation is still that we’ll see sprints at the end of small uphill drags.
Winner
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 2, Thursday, September 18, 2025: Svidník - Košice (169.4 km)
Stage 2 will be a toss-up for the fast men, with three climbs in the second half of the stage that could open the door for sprinters who handle the hills better.
Winner
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 3, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025: Kežmarok - Banská Bystrica (191.7 km)
Up, down, up, down, up, down. Could this already be where riders land an early blow, ones we’ll also see back in contention for the GC later in the week?
Winner
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 4, Saturday, September 20, 2025: Vráble - Sládkovičovo (169.1 km)
Flat as a pancake, so sprinting it is!
Winner
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 5, Sunday, September 21, 2025: Nová Dubnica - Kohútka (124.0 km)
Short but sharp! With the Vrsatec climb tackled three times (3.6 km at 8.1%) and a mountain-top finish in Kohútka after a 5.5 km climb at 6.5% average, this is where everything will be decided.
Winner
Paul Double (Jayco AlUla)
Paul Double (Jayco AlUla)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Final classification Tour of Slovakia 2025
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026