First in the history of the Tour of Romania; the cycling competition starts this year from the Republic of Moldova
The Tour of Romania, the most prestigious cycling competition in the country and one of the most important in Southeast Europe, is writing a new chapter in its history. The 58th edition of the Little Loop will debut on September 9 and marks an absolute first: for the first time since the competition was founded in 1934, the official start of the race will take place outside the borders of Romania, in Chisinau.
This year's edition will start on September 8, in the center of Chisinau, with the presentation of the teams and the opening ceremony of the Tour of Romania 2026, an event that will bring to the public about 25 professional local and foreign teams.
The start of the first stage will be given on September 9, on a route carried out entirely on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, arriving at Ungheni. This stage marks a double first in the history of the competition: both the start from another country and a stage organized entirely outside of Romania.
“For the first time, the Tour of Romania in cycling will start from Chisinau, and this honors us and is very important for us. It shows how good the relations between the Republic of Moldova and Romania are and that we can work together on beautiful projects. In addition to promoting a healthy lifestyle, sport brings us closer, reminds us of the values we share and helps build a relationship based on respect and trust“, Dan Perciun, the Minister of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, sent.
This year, the Tour of Romania also proposes a route that captures the diversity and charm of the regions crossed, from cities with a strong cultural heritage to representative natural landscapes. From the start in Chisinau, the caravan reaches the region of Moldova, passing through areas with spectacular landscapes and cities with a distinct identity, and the final takes place in Bucharest, bringing the competition to an emblematic urban setting.
September 8 – Presentation of the Teams – Chisinau
September 9 – Stage 1 – Chisinau – Ungheni
“The Tour of Romania takes an important step towards a new level of organization and notoriety, and this year's edition represents a sporting bridge between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, an opportunity to promote the beauties and values of the two countries, but also to encourage cycling among the widest possible audience. We thank the Government of the Republic of Moldova for the opening, the Cycling Federation of the Rep. Moldova, the National Agency for Sport in Romania and Auchan Romania for supporting this soulful project”, Cătălin Sprinceana, President of the Romanian Cycling Federation.
Brâncuși, source of inspiration for the trophy of this year's edition
In the year that marks 150 years since the birth of one of the emblematic figures of universal modern art, the Tour of Romania pays tribute to the great Romanian artist by making a dedicated trophy, inspired by Brâncusi's works. The trophy will be made by the sculptor Liviu Brezeanu, a local artist from Dâmbovița, specialized in woodworking, and will be handed to the winner of the Tour of Romania in the final stage in Bucharest.
This year, the Tour of Romania will also include competitions dedicated to children, aimed at supporting the training of new generations of cyclists. They will take place in Iasi, Piatra Neamț, Ploiești and Bucharest. At the same time, competitions for amateurs will be organized in Ploiești and Bucharest, encouraging the practice of cycling and the adoption of an active lifestyle. The number of participants in these related races increases from year to year, in 2025 almost 3000 participants will be registered, most of them from the Capital.
The competition was officially launched on Wednesday, April 22, in an event attended by almost 200 guests, from representatives of central and local authorities, public institutions and embassies, to commercial partners and sponsors, sports federations and clubs, as well as personalities from the world of Romanian sports.
The Tour of Romania 2026 is organized by the Romanian Cycling Federation, together with the National Sports Agency and Auchan Romania, as main partner and co-organizer for 7 years.
Information about the Tour of Romania is available on www.turulromaniei.ro.
History of the Tour
Inspired by the Tour de France, the publication “Revista Automobilă” organized, in 1910, the Circuitul Munteniei, on the Bucharest-Sinaia-Târgoviște-Bucharesti route, but the competition was put on hold 3 years later, due to the First World War. In 1934, the newspaper “Sportul Zilnic” took up the idea, organizing the first national cycling competition – the Tour of Romania, also nicknamed “Mica Buclă”. The competition has been on the calendar of the International Cycling Union since 2008, and since 2019 it has been organized in partnership with Auchan Romania. More information about the Tour of Romania 2026 at: www.turulromaniei.ro and on the official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tourofromaniaofficial.
