L'Etape Slovenia 2026: Record Participation, Strong Community and International Reach
The cycling festival further strengthens its position as one of the leading recreational cycling events in Slovenia.
The fifth edition of Merkur zavarovalnica L'Etape Slovenia by Tour de France once again confirmed its status as one of Slovenia’s premier recreational cycling events. On 5 and 6 September 2026, a record number of participants, visitors, partners and supporters gathered in Kranj to create a truly outstanding cycling festival.
Ride & Race: 1,600 cyclists from 32 countries,
The main Sunday events attracted 1,600 cyclists from 32 countries, with international participants accounting for nearly one-third of all registrations. The Saturday programme was also sold out, including the Future Heroes children’s rides, the Family Ride, the corporate stages Merkur zavarovalnica Pairs Race and ISO Ride, as well as the exclusive challenge K0.0lesari na polno!. Approximately 3,800 spectators lined the routes and event venue, creating an unforgettable atmosphere, while nearly 4,000 visitors attended the festival village in Slovenian Square.
The event extended its impact far beyond sport through its strong communication reach. Throughout the year, L'Etape Slovenia's social media channels generated more than 11 million views, while the event website attracted 34,000 users during the festival period. The live broadcast of the Sunday race on POP TV reached almost 100,000 viewers, with thousands more following the action via Voyo and YouTube.
The unique experience and festival atmosphere
L'Etape Slovenia successfully brings together ambitious amateur cyclists as well as participants motivated primarily by the unique experience and festival atmosphere. Results from the Sunday participant satisfaction survey confirm that both the sense of community and the sporting challenge are equally important pillars of the event, while the competitive spirit among participants continues to grow. The strength of the event lies in the loyalty of its community. As many as 71% of surveyed participants already plan to return for the next edition, while 60% have participated at least twice before.
L'Etape Slovenia is much more than a cycling festival. It is a year-round community that connects cyclists, families, partners and local communities.
To all of you, our valued cycling community, partners, supporters, spectators, visitors, followers and volunteers, our commitment remains unchanged: we will continue on this path and further elevate the sixth edition of Merkur zavarovalnica L'Etape Slovenia by Tour de France 2027.
Together, we are strengthening Slovenia’s visibility on the global cycling map of the world’s largest amateur cycling series, L'Etape by Tour de France. Thank you.
