The eleventh CRO Race will be held from 22 to 27 September 2026, and this year’s race brings the biggest breakthrough in its history – CRO Race is part of the UCI ProSeries for the first time. Across six stages and nearly 1,000 kilometres, the world’s best cyclists will connect the Croatian coast, islands, and inland.
ZAGREB, 16 September 2026 – A press conference presented the eleventh edition of CRO Race, which will be held from 22 to 27 September throughout Croatia, bringing numerous top cyclists and teams from around the world. The eleventh CRO Race will be setting out with its biggest step ever—UCI ProSeries status, an affirmation of a decade of development and work by everyone who built CRO Race from its very first kilometre. This new status is also bringing the best team roster to date. Croatia’s roads will be hosting teams that have taken part in the world’s biggest races this season; the strength of this year’s roster is best attested in the fact that 12 of the teams taking part in this year’s CRO Race also raced the 2026 Tour de France.
Six stages from Split to Zagreb
The eleventh edition of CRO Race will run across six stages and nearly 1,000 kilometres, connecting various parts of Croatia. The race will start on 22 September in Split, and the first stage will end in Seget. The second stage will connect Biograd na Moru and Novalja, followed by the third stage from Krk to Labin, then Pula – Rijeka, Karlovac – Sveta Nedjelja, and the sixth and final stage starting in Samobor and ending in Zagreb. For the race’s six days, professional cyclists will ride through some of Croatia’s most beautiful landscapes, and the eyes of spectators from 190 countries worldwide will be focused on Croatia and its beauty.
Top names in world cycling back on Croatia’s roads
In the past ten years, Croatia’s roads have seen the likes of Mark Cavendish, Vincenzo Nibali, Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Adam Yates, Matej Mohorič, Elia Viviani, Jonathan Milan, and many other big names. Brandon McNulty left his mark on the past two editions, becoming the first cyclist in CRO Race history to take two GC wins.
CRO Race growing alongside Croatia
“With the new categorisation, the race has become an even stronger sporting stage on which to present Croatia to countless viewers across the world. Many tourists are now choosing active holidays, time in nature, and experiences that allow them to better get to know their destination. That’s why the Croatian Tourist Board continues to invest in cycle tourism and high-quality tourist products that contribute to the balanced tourist development of all Croatia straights regions”, noted Dubravko Šimenc, outdoor, cycling, and sports tourism product manager at the Croatian Tourist Board.
During the official press conference, race director Vladimir Miholjević thanked all partners and institutions for their continued support, emphasising that a broad community of stakeholders is key to the race’s continued development and international promotion.
“This year’s CRO Race is special for us as it’s being held for the first time with UCI ProSeries status, which is the biggest sporting and organisational step in the race’s history. Croatia’s roads will be hosting the strongest roster of teams yet, including twelve teams that raced the Tour de France this year. We’re proud that CRO Race has grown through its past ten editions into an internationally recognised sporting event that simultaneously promotes top cycling and Croatia before audiences in 190 countries worldwide,” stated Miholjević.
This year, the race is once again being supported by the highest state institutions, the Croatian government and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, and the Croatian Tourist Board and Hrvatska elektroprivreda electric company, as well as numerous destination partners and commercial sponsors.
“CRO Race isn’t the European Championship or Worlds, but it is a top race, and it’s important to state that the race also embodies sports tourism. The government recognised this race practically from the very beginning, and support will continue this year and the following two years,” said Jelena Kolar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism and Sport.
The city of Zagreb has also supported the race from its very outset: “We’re proud that this race has reached a higher level. I would like to invite the citizens of Zagreb to come see the race and to support the cyclists at the finish line at Jarun,” concluded Stjepan Crnokić, assistant head of the City Office for Education, Sport and Youth.
Young ones riding alongside the pros
Another important part of CRO Race every year is Kids CRO Race, a project promoting cycling amongst kids. Children will have an opportunity to feel the atmosphere of a big sporting event, participate in a cycling competition, and ride their first kilometres with the message that sport isn’t just what we see on the big screens—it’s what inspires new generations. This is one of the founding ideas of CRO Race—bringing people closer to cycling and inspiring as many children and young people as possible to experience cycling as a sport, a way of getting around, and a part of everyday life.
