About this event
Czech Tour, the largest multi-stage cycling race in the Czech Republic, is entering a new era. From August 13 to 16, 2026, it will welcome top professional teams from Europe and overseas. Liberec is the finishing city for Stage 2 (August 14), with the finish line located at Ještěd.
The eighteenth edition will once again start in Prague, head to Ještěd for the first time, and feature the toughest routes in the race's history, with a total elevation gain of nearly 10,000 meters and a distance of 650 km. TV broadcasts will be available on Eurosport and ČT Sport. "We will once again see world-class cycling on Czech roads. Moving to a higher category increases both the quality of the race and the demands for top-tier facilities for riders and fans. We are preparing a broadcast for every stage, which, thanks to our cooperation with ASO, organizers of the Tour de France, will be seen by viewers all around the world," said Czech Tour President Robert Kolář.
Four stages, decided in the hills
The Czech Tour 2026 will start, as it did last year, in Prague at Vítězné náměstí, from where the peloton will head across the Czech Republic over four stages. The race will again offer a combination of attractive urban backdrops, rolling terrain, and challenging climbs that have made the Czech Tour famous in recent years as an event for all-around riders.
The first stage from Prague's Dejvice district to Karlovy Vary continues from last year's, covering 163 kilometers with the least elevation gain (2,311 meters). A novelty will be the second act, which will take cyclists 156 kilometers from Mladá Boleslav to Ještěd near Liberec, with the final climb of the 2,500 total elevation gain putting the peloton's strength to the test. The third stage covers 171 kilometers and ends after 2,670 meters of climbing at the famous Dlouhé stráně in the Jeseníky Mountains. The final stage runs from Kroměříž to Pustevny, measuring 160 kilometers with 2,442 meters of climbing.
"Our long-term goal is for the Czech Tour to ride through the whole republic. That is also why, alongside traditional locations, we have included an attractive stage at Ještěd. It is a legendary peak. And thanks to our membership in the ProSeries, our position in negotiations with teams has improved; now, the participation of the very best is on the table. I believe we are in for a great starting list," explains race director Leopold König.
Elite teams, rich program for fans, and TV broadcasts
The WorldTour team NSN (formerly Israel-Premier Tech) is preparing for the Czech Republic, along with ProTeam-licensed squads – Bardiani CSF 7 Saber, Burgos Burpellet BH, and Solution Tech Nippo Rali. A major draw will also be the new American squad Modern Adventure, associated with the name of former star professional George Hincapie. The Czech elite will also be presented. The presence of the race on the higher category calendar represents a greater attraction for elite teams in the form of better point awards for the UCI ranking – a key parameter that decides existence among the best. For example, for an overall victory in a 2.1 category race, a cyclist gets 125 points; in the 2.Pro category, it is a flat 200.
The Czech Tour 2026 will not just be about top sports performances, but also about the experience for spectators. A rich accompanying program will be prepared for visitors in all start and finish cities, offering entertainment for the whole family. "We are inspired by the best races in the world and want to offer a comparable show," concludes Robert Kolář.
The prelude to this prestigious event will be the Peace Race (Závod míru) for riders under 23. This will also feature four stages with a total length of over five hundred kilometers and an elevation gain of nearly 9,500 meters. The hopefuls of the world peloton will set out to compete from May 28 to 31 in the attractive settings of the Olomouc and Moravian-Silesian regions. Moreover, this year's edition of the Peace Race will be held for the first time in the UCI Europe Tour 2.2U category, and alongside national teams, the prospects of professional squads will take to the start, which will bring even more significant international competition.
Czech Tour 2026 stages:
Stage 1: Prague – Karlovy Vary, distance 163 km, elevation gain 2,311 m
Stage 2: Mladá Boleslav – Ještěd, distance 156 km, elevation gain 2,500 m
Stage 3: Pardubice – Dlouhé stráně, distance 171 km, elevation gain 2,670 m
Stage 4: Kroměříž – Pustevny, distance 160 km, elevation gain 2,442 m
