Graphic: Competi.ro, from the organizer's published route
Moonride Criterium
A night criterium in the middle of Constanța.
22 August 2026 · Constanța, Constanța
Four starts, one evening, a 1.44 km closed city circuit under floodlights. The course runs the Bd. Tomis finish straight past Parcul Oleg Danovski and back through four right-handers — short, fast and entirely flat.
Race day
22 August 2026
Start / finish
Constanța, Constanța
Lap length
1.44 km · 100% tarmac
Starts
4 blocks, 17:15 → 21:15
The format
Criterium racing, city-centre edition
A criterium is decided on a short closed loop repeated for a set time rather than a set distance. Each block races the clock — 40 to 60 minutes plus one final lap — so the racing is continuous, the gaps are small and the finish is almost always a sprint.
At Moonride the loop is 1.44 km of city tarmac with four right-hand corners and essentially no elevation, which puts the emphasis on cornering and positioning rather than climbing. The blocks run from late afternoon into full darkness, with the headline Elite race last.
The circuit
1.44 km, four corners, no hills
One loop of closed city streets, repeated. Start and finish are on the Bd. Tomis straight alongside Parcul Oleg Danovski.
- Lap length
- 1,44 km
- Surface
- 100% tarmac
- Elevation per lap
- ≈ +9 m — flat
Lap, corner by corner
- Bd. Tomis — the start/finish straight, alongside the park
- Right onto str. Decebal
- Right onto str. Mircea cel Bătrân
- Right onto Bd. Ferdinand
- Right back onto Bd. Tomis, into the finish straight
The organizer's published route measures 1,406 m per lap; the announced lap length is 1.44 km.
View the route on RideWithGPSStarts
Four blocks, one evening
Each block races for a set time plus one final lap. Times below are the published start times.
U17
U17 Men + U17 Women
- Start
- 17:15
- Race time
- 40 min + 1 tur
Common start, separate classifications by gender.
Women's Open
All categories, 17–60+
- Start
- 18:20
- Race time
- 45 min + 1 tur
A single open women's block.
Masters + Amateur Open Men
All categories, 17–60+
- Start
- 19:40
- Race time
- 50 min + 1 tur
The broadest field of the evening.
Elite + U23 + U19 Men
Headline raceElite + U23 / U19
- Start
- 21:15
- Race time
- 60 min + 1 tur
Common start, separate classifications. The last and longest block of the night.
Entry
Entry fee
Published tiers. Online entries close on 21 August at 23:59.
Early Bird
Closed125 lei
until 23 July 2026
Standard
Current150 lei
24 July – 14 August 2026
Final week
200 lei
15 – 21 August 2026
On site
On the day250 lei
Saturday 22 August, at Race Office
Race Office opens at 12:00 on race day; kit collection and on-site entries run 12:00–16:15.
RegisterPrizes
Prize money
Announced prize fund
12,400 lei
| Category | I | II | III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite + U23 Men | 2,500 | 1,500 | 800 |
| U19 Men | 1,000 | 700 | 500 |
| Women's Open | 1,000 | 700 | 500 |
| Masters + Amateur Open Men | 600 | 400 | 200 |
| U17 Men | 600 | 350 | 150 |
| U17 Women | 600 | 350 | 150 |
Total as announced by the organizer, alongside the per-category breakdown they published.
Good to know
Championship status
The organizer and the federation currently describe this race differently, so both are stated here.
- The organizer bills the event as the 2026 National Criterium Championship, with national titles decided across the four blocks.
- The Romanian Cycling Federation's calendar lists the event as “Neavizat” (not sanctioned) at the time of writing. Check the FRC calendar before entering if the national title matters to you.
- Riders without an FRC licence enter the Amateur Open category on a self-declaration. Foreign riders are ranked in the general Moonride Criterium classification but not in the national championship.
Practical info
Everything you need to know
- Registration
- until 21 Aug 2026
- Entry fee
- 125 lei Early Bird (până la 23 iul) · 150 lei (24 iul–14 aug) · 200 lei (15–21 aug) · 250 lei la fața locului
- Elevation gain
- +9 m pe tur (circuit plat)
- Start
- Bd. Tomis, linia de start/sosire în dreptul Parcului Oleg Danovski, Constanța
- GPX track
- Download
Details
About the event
MOONRIDE CRITERIUM este o cursă de criterium nocturn organizată în centrul Constanței, pe un circuit urban de 1,44 km, 100% asfalt, cu start și sosire pe Bulevardul Tomis, în dreptul Parcului Oleg Danovski. Cursa face parte din Moonride Festival (21–23 august 2026) și găzduiește, potrivit organizatorului și calendarului FRC, Campionatul Național de Criterium 2026.
Circuitul
Bd. Tomis (linia dreaptă de start/sosire, în dreptul parcului) → dreapta pe str. Decebal → dreapta pe str. Mircea cel Bătrân → dreapta pe Bd. Ferdinand → dreapta înapoi pe Bd. Tomis spre sosire. Lungime tur: 1,44 km.
Starturi (sâmbătă, 22 august)
- 17:15 — U17 Masculin + U17 Feminin, start comun cu clasamente separate, 40 min + 1 tur
- 18:20 — Feminin Open, toate categoriile 17–60+ ani, 45 min + 1 tur
- 19:40 — Masters + Amatori Open Masculin, 17–60+ ani, 50 min + 1 tur
- 21:15 — Elite + U23 + U19 Masculin, start comun cu clasamente separate (Elite+U23 / U19), 60 min + 1 tur
Premii
Fond total de premiere anunțat: 12.400 lei. Elite + U23 Masculin 2500/1500/800 lei · U19 Masculin 1000/700/500 lei · Feminin Open 1000/700/500 lei · Masters + Amatori Masculin Open 600/400/200 lei · U17 Masculin 600/350/150 lei · U17 Feminin 600/350/150 lei.
Înscrieri
- Online: racetime.ro, până în 21 august 2026
- Taxe: 125 lei Early Bird (până la 23 iulie) · 150 lei (24 iulie – 14 august) · 200 lei (15 – 21 august) · 250 lei la fața locului, la Race Office
- Sportivii fără licență FRC se înscriu la Amatori Open, pe baza unei declarații pe proprie răspundere. Sportivii străini intră în clasamentul general Moonride Criterium, dar nu în ierarhia Campionatului Național.
Bun de știut
- Race Office se deschide la ora 12:00; ridicarea kiturilor și înscrierile la fața locului 12:00 – 16:15
- Închiderea traseului și briefingul tehnic la ora 17:00; marea premiere la 22:30
- În calendarul Federației Române de Ciclism evenimentul figurează la data publicării ca „Neavizat”
Schedule
Event schedule
- 12:00Se deschide Race Office
La locația festivalului
- 12:00 – 16:15Ridicarea kiturilor de concurs
Și înscrieri la fața locului
- 17:00Închiderea traseului · briefing tehnic
- 17:15START U17 M + F
- 18:08Premiere U17
- 18:20START Feminin Open
- 19:18Premiere Feminin
- 19:40START Masters + Amatori Open M
- 20:43Premiere Masters/Amatori
- 21:15START Elite + U23 + U19 M (Cursa Vedetă)
- 22:30Marea premiere
FAQ
Questions
How long is the race?
Each block races for a set time plus one final lap: 40 minutes for U17, 45 for the Women's Open, 50 for Masters + Amateur Open Men and 60 for the Elite + U23 + U19 block.
Can I enter on the day?
Yes, at the Race Office tent, which opens at 12:00. The on-site fee is 250 lei — 125 lei more than Early Bird. Online entries close on 21 August at 23:59.
Do I need an FRC licence?
No. Riders without a licence enter the Amateur Open category on a self-declaration. A licence is required to contest the national championship classification.
I'm 16. Which category do I enter?
U17 Men or U17 Women. The start is at 17:15 and is common to both, with separate classifications.
Is the circuit hilly?
No. The lap is 1.44 km of flat city tarmac with about 9 m of elevation gain per lap and four right-hand corners.
Race the night
Four starts, a floodlit city circuit and a sprint finish on Bd. Tomis.