For the 67th time, the peloton of the International Cycling Race Around Slovakia will be presented on our roads. Right "under the windows," fans can see top world riders, whom we can see at the biggest cycling events and newcomers who will soon be shaking things up.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Tour of Slovakia race will take part in mid-September. This year, it even starts on the same date as the previous year. However, event begins one day before the official start, on 12th of September 2023, with an attractive evening team presentation.
The event will kick off in Košice on Wednesday 13th of September, and after 821.4 kilometres, it will conclude in Púchov on Sunday, 17th of September 2023, with the final cards being dealt. In the meantime, cyclists will have to fight for 18 mountain sprints and 14 intermediate sprints. This year, organizers continue the philosophy of different starts and finishes, so besides Košice and Púchov, riders will also be welcomed by the residents of Prešov, Poprad, Ružomberok, Martin, Prievidza, Nitra, and Hlohovec.
The 67th edition will once again attract a plethora of well-known names to Slovak roads.
As we presented in June, the 67th edition will once again be filled with professionals from the highest, ProContinental, and Continental categories. A total of 21 teams will be presented, each with a seven-member lineup. The exact number and names will be known only 72 hours before the start or during registration, but teams have already announced the arrival of several renowned names.
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP
Starting with number 1 will be last year's defending champion JOSEF ČERNÝ. Another cyclist who will not be missing from the start is JANNIK STEIMPLE, who won the race in the "covid" year of 2020. We will also welcome the only Slovak in a WorldTeam this season, bronze medallist from this year's U23 World Championships and last year's best Slovak on the Tour of Slovakia, MARTIN SVRČEK.
The Belgian team will also feature the outstanding sprinter TIM MERLIER, currently ranked in the top fifty of the UCI ranking. This year, he already has nine victories to his name. The team is completed by the current French individual time trial champion RÉMI CAVAGNA, DAVIDE BALLERINI, and BERT VAN LERBERGHE.
JUMBO-VISMA
One of the world's best current teams will return to Slovak roads with KOEN BOUWMAN, who finished third overall last year behind two Soudal Quick-Step riders. Bouwman won a stage from Detva to Spišská Nová Ves last year and was also the best climber in the Giro d'Italia. Another familiar face is GIJS LEEMREIZE, who finished twelfth overall on our roads last year.
ASTANA QAZAQSTAN
Dutch rider CEES BOL is well acquainted with the atmosphere of the Tour of Slovakia, having finished third overall in the DSM team in 2021. This year, he was the sprinter leader for the team in the Tour de France after Mark Cavendish's withdrawal, although he was supposed to be his main domestique until then.
GROUPAMA FDJ
We are delighted that this French team is returning to Slovak roads after four years. Back then, STEFAN KÜNG excelled, finishing third overall. This year, Groupama-FDJ will again include this Swiss, their highest-ranked rider in the UCI rankings, currently at 22nd place.
Alongside him, the legendary THIBAUT PINOT will bid farewell to his fans in the last season of his active racing career on the Tour of Slovakia. The star Groupama-FDJ trio on Slovak roads also includes the current world number twenty-four and the second-placed rider in this year's Paris-Nice, DAVID GAUDU. This star-studded team will compete for the most prestigious trophy on Slovak roads, although a more segmented terrain would better suit the latter two.
6 PRO TEAMS
The Italian team EOLO-KOMETA will feature two participants from this year's Giro d'Italia, DAVIDE BAIS, who also sensationally won a stage there, and MIRCO MAESTRI. British rider CHARLIE QUARTERMAN, who wore the CORRATEC team's jersey at the Giro d'Italia, will make his debut on the Tour of Slovakia.
The Spanish team CAJA RURAL – SEGUROS RGA will introduce the current world champion from Glasgow, the world omnium champion, Portuguese rider IÚRI LEITÃO, on Slovak roads. The team will also feature two Czech riders, DANIEL BABOR and TOMÁŠ BÁRTA. The leader of the second Spanish team and a regular participant in our races, KERN PHARMA, will be JORDI LÓPEZ. Czech rider VOJTECH ŘEPA will also appear in this team.
This season will likely be the last for the American team HUMAN POWERED HEALTH, at least according to current reports. The team's leader will probably be Polish rider STANISLAW ANIOLKOWSKI, who finished third overall this year with two stage victories at the International Tour of Hellas in Greece.
FOURTEEN SLOVAKS AT THE START
This year's Tour of Slovakia will feature fourteen Slovak riders at the start. Seven riders will be from Dukla Banská Bystrica, and in our second continental team, RRK Group - Pierre Baguette - Benzinol, we will see four Czech riders alongside three Slovaks. Another four riders will have their place in their foreign teams: MARTIN SVRČEK in the Soudal Quick-Step team, the current Slovak champion MATÚŠ ŠTOČEK in the Czech ATT Investments team, TOMÁŠ SIVOK in the Italian Friuli – ASD team, and MARTIN JURÍK in the Slovenian Adria Mobil team.
Partnerships and Jerseys
The general partner of our most significant cycling event is the brand Niké, the first Slovak betting company. Their logo is associated with the yellow jersey of the overall winner. The main partner is the Škoda brand, which provides mobility during the race by supplying a fleet of cars. It is also the partner of the green jersey for the points competition. The long-time partner of not only Slovak but also world cycling is the Slovak brand Janom. On the Tour of Slovakia, it is associated with the jersey of the best climber. The logo of the Ministry of Education, Youth, Research, and Sports will adorn the jersey of the best rider under 23 years old. Organizers regularly evaluate the best Slovak rider, and at the end of the race, team classification and the Matej Laco Award for victory at the highest point of the route are also added to the individual competitions.
A very special award is presented to the best Slovak young rider under 23, which will be presented on behalf of her father, a great fan of our races, by Mrs. Šuleyová – Holečková. Main partners Cofidis and Strabag are visible to fans primarily through the advertising caravan, which gives away gifts to fans along the route half an hour before the race.
