Okolo Slovenska 2026: Preview and Favourites of the Tour de Slovaquie

Okolo Slovenska 2026: the Tour de Slovaquie returns The Okolo Slovenska / Tour de Slovaquie, a procontinental race held in Slovakia, starts on 16 September 2026. The event, a reference point for Central European cycling, will see 140 verified riders at the start, with a significant presence of WorldTour and Development teams. The expected protagonists Among the entrants, several big names stand out. Soudal Quick-Step fields a deep squad: Paul Magnier, Yves Lampaert, Martin Svrček, Dries Van Gestel, Warre Vangheluwe, Jose Said Cisneros and Henrique Bravo. Lotto Intermarché responds with Lennert Van Eetvelt, Liam Slock, Duarte Marivoet, Felix Ørn-Kristoff, Maxence Place, Milan Donie and Lucas Van Gils. Groupama-FDJ United brings Cyril Barthe, Maxime Decomble, Josh Kench, Matteo Milan, Blake Agnoletto, Rémi Daumas and Yann Dubois. Cofidis relies on Ion Izagirre, Benjamin Thomas, Simon Carr, Jenthe Biermans, Yaël Joalland, Luis Alberto Lajarin and Jamie Meehan. Among Development and continental teams, watch Bahrain Victorious Development Team with Rainer Kepplinger, Thomas Capra, Ahmed Madan, Ahmed Naser, Giacomo Rosato, Mihajlo Stolić and Max Van Der Meulen; Dukla Banska Bystrica with Dávid Kaško, Martin Haluška, Jakub Javor, Samuel Fedor, Sebastian Michalec, Lukáš Panáček and Matej Ulík; Team Novo Nordisk with Andrea Peron, David Lozano, Antonio Polga, Filippo Ridolfo, Lucas Dauge, Juan José López and Lucas Terrier. This year's results of the protagonists Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) took a win at the ADAC Cyclassics and shone with a first place in a stage of the Lidl Deutschland Tour, plus second places in stages of the Tour de Pologne and the Deutschland Tour. Magnier also won a stage of the 2026 Giro d'Italia, according to historical data — source: pre-race analysis Okolo Slovenska 2026 Piotr Pękala (ATT Investments) was a protagonist in several stage races: he won a stage of the Okolo jižních Čech / Tour of South Bohemia and placed sixth and seventh in stages of the Czech Tour, tenth at the Tour of Austria and seventh at the Tour of Malopolska. Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious Development) took a first and a third place in stages of the 2026 Tour of the Alps, confirming himself among the best climbers of his generation. Kepplinger finished eighth in stage 5 of the Tour of the Alps — source: pre-race analysis Okolo Slovenska 2026 Liam Slock (Lotto Intermarché) won the GP Gippingen and collected placings in stages of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque and Ethias-Tour de Wallonie. Maxime Decomble (Groupama-FDJ United) won a stage of the TPC en Nouvelle-Aquitaine and placed ninth in the Boucles de la Mayenne, plus a seventh place in a stage of the Tour de Romandie. Among other names, Michael Kukrle won the Kryterium Asów - Beskid Classic and was second at the Visegrad 4 Bicycle Race - GP Czech Republic; Samuel Fedor (Dukla Banska Bystrica) won a stage of the Cycling Tour of Albania; Duarte Marivoet (Lotto Intermarché) is the Belgian U23 national champion (IRR). The favourites for victory In light of the season's results, Paul Magnier appears the most credible name for sprints and reduced finishes, thanks to his win at the ADAC Cyclassics and his placings in stage races. Piotr Pękala is a consistent rider suited to breakaways, with stage wins in Czech races and placings in stage races. Rainer Kepplinger represents the best option for the general classification on hilly routes, buoyed by his stage success at the Tour of the Alps. Liam Slock and Maxime Decomble complete the list of favourites, with complementary characteristics between reduced sprints and hilly stages. Soudal Quick-Step will be able to control the race with its deep squad, while ATT Investments and the local teams will seek visibility through breakaways and long-range moves. The lack of data on the route and elevation makes the final outcome uncertain, but the names on the start list guarantee a high-level race.