Safety Is Our Shared Mission — and the 2026 Route Is Out
Cycling is our shared passion, which is why safety is a key factor in ensuring that movement on existing infrastructure remains safe for all road users. The routes for the 2026 Sunday race have now been revealed.
Kranj, 2 June 2026. In cooperation with the Municipality of Kranj, now hosting the Merkur zavarovalnica L’Etape Slovenia by Tour de France cycling festival for the fifth consecutive year, we organised a round table titled Safety Is a Shared Responsibility. The discussion featured Matej Mohorič, world-class professional cyclist and event ambassador; Simon Sušanj, independent police inspector from the Kranj Police Directorate; Andi Bajc, event director; and Matej Rožič, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Merkur zavarovalnica. Together, they highlighted key safety aspects of every recreational cycling event, the culture of safety among cyclists, and, more broadly, among all road users.
Kranj is a sustainable city
Kranj is a cycling city—this is something its residents are well aware of, and it is recognised both nationally and internationally,” said the Mayor of the Municipality of Kranj, Matjaž Rakovec. “I am proud that we can host prominent events such as the Merkur zavarovalnica L’Etape Slovenia by Tour de France cycling festival, which places our city on the map of important cycling destinations. The Grand Prix of Kranj is one of the oldest cycling events in Slovenia, this year’s Tour of Slovenia queen stage will start in Kranj, and the upcoming European Cycling Championships will also pass through the city. We invest significantly in the development of cycling and promote an active lifestyle for our citizens. I believe these efforts will attract even more international cycling events to Kranj in the future—perhaps even a stage of the Tour de France one day.”
Recreational cycling is not professional racing
Matej Mohorič highlighted a key value that we need not only as road users, but as people: coexistence.
Coexistence in all shared spaces. The road is not a place to take shortcuts for an insignificant minute. When something happens, your errands suddenly no longer matter when you need to call the police. We must hold up a mirror to ourselves and be self-critical whenever we get behind the wheel, on a bike, or set off on foot. We need to take the time and understand that roads belong to everyone—we all use them.
The cycling events within L’Etape Slovenia are inspired by the Tour de France, but with a clear focus on experience, safety, and community, rather than purely on results. As Andi Bajc emphasised:
Safety is an area where we do not look at budget size—we aim for the highest possible level of safety together with the police. Cycling in Slovenia is becoming very popular, and some participants focus too much on results. However, the purpose of recreational events is socialising and the experience.”
Police inspector Simon Sušanj pointed out that recreational cyclists often forget that such events are a shared experience, where respecting rules and other participants is essential.
Every year, the police also learn from recreational events. We have realised that when everything is well organised and follows a structured protocol, people appreciate it because it gives them a sense of safety. On one hand, we promote ourselves, and on the other, we raise the safety level at events. The presence of our vehicles further enhances the feeling of a professional race, but the key difference is the much wider range of cyclist skill levels. Therefore, it is essential to understand that despite all measures, no one can guarantee 100% safety, even though we strive for it.”
At Merkur zavarovalnica, they searched for a project they could truly identify with, wanting to actively co-create the story rather than just provide funding.
Merkur zavarovalnica L’Etape Slovenia embodies values that are also important to us: care for health, prevention, perseverance, and social responsibility. That is why part of the funds is also allocated to the Matej Mohorič Foundation, where young cyclists are taught how to behave on the road in order to reduce injuries and accidents,” emphasised Matej Rožič.
The 2026 Sunday race route revealed
This year’s route brings an important new feature. After descending from Krvavec, the cycling caravan will turn at Grad towards the Krvavec cable car and climb towards Štefanja Gora via a shorter but steeper ascent (with gradients exceeding 10% in places), before continuing towards Možjance and descending into Tupaliče. This change applies to both the shorter Decathlon the Ride (81 km) and the longer Tosidos the Race (131 km).
>>> Route map
I have the privilege of experiencing the best races in the world, from top-level competitions to recreational events like L’Etape Slovenia, and I also use the bike for everyday errands. At the end of the day, what all these rides have in common is that you are always on the road, which is a shared space—whether you are riding the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées or heading to the bakery, you are vulnerable. Once you exceed speeds of 30 km/h, your field of vision narrows significantly, and the chance of reacting to something just 10 metres ahead is very small. That is why you need to be patient, know when to stop, take your time, and be able to give way when someone is better than you,” emphasised Matej Mohorič.
Collegiality as the foundation of safety
Cycling is a team sport—even when we are not aware of it. Collegiality is about more than helping in difficult moments; it is a foundation of safety, as it encourages calm, predictable, and respectful riding.
My personal motto is that you have to stay calm and wait for your moment. And when the opportunity comes—and it always does—you take it. If you are tense and impatient, you waste a lot of energy, and it doesn’t pay off,” said Matej Mohorič.
Cycling Academy with Matej Mohorič
As the naming partner of the festival, we also place participant safety first. That is why we created, together with the organiser and the ambassador, a series of content on how to cycle more safely,” added Matej Rožič.
This resulted in the Cycling Academy with Matej Mohorič—a series of educational content aimed at raising awareness about safe cycling, sports etiquette, and responsible behaviour on the road.
Simon Sušanj added:
We must respect the fact that we are interdependent on the road. Cyclists too often believe they have priority at every intersection, but there is no absolute right of way. We must look out for one another to prevent accidents. The law also defines a safe lateral passing distance when overtaking cyclists, which is 1.5 metres. This distance ensures safe overtaking.”
Cycling is an excellent form of recreation for all generations. The participants of the discussion agreed that the key lies in the experience and enjoyment it brings. Above all, it is about being considerate in traffic and arriving safely at your destination—because only then can you get back on your bike again tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year.
>>> A news segment from 24ur
