Sibiu Cycling Tour
Romania's premier professional stage race.
4–7 July 2026 · Sibiu, Sibiu
Four days, five stages, roughly 610 km. The UCI peloton rolls out of Sibiu's medieval Saxon old town and climbs into the Făgăraș mountains — capped by the Transfăgărășan queen stage to Bâlea Lac and the Păltiniș summit finish. Past winners include Egan Bernal and Iván Sosa.
The race
A UCI 2.1 stage race in the heart of Transylvania
The route
Stages & route
Five stages over four days, all radiating out of Sibiu. Distances and profiles are provisional until the official roadbook is published.
Stage I · Semi-stage A
Sibiu — Rășinari
≈ 110.5 kmRoad · rollingThe opener loops south to the foothill village of Rășinari. A rolling road stage that lets the sprinters and breakaway riders open the account before the mountains arrive.
Stage I · Semi-stage B
Historic Centre ITT
≈ 3.2 kmIndividual time trialA short, technical individual time trial through Sibiu's Saxon historic centre on the same day. Seconds matter here — the prologue sets the first overall hierarchy on the cobbles of the Piața Mare.
Stage II
Sibiu — Păltiniș
≈ 157.8 kmMountain · summit finishThe first true mountain test, finishing high on the Păltiniș plateau. A long, grinding summit finish that traditionally cracks the field and stamps the first big GC gaps onto the race.
Stage III
Queen stageSibiu — Bâlea Lac
≈ 157.4 kmMountain · TransfăgărășanThe queen stage, up the Transfăgărășan to the glacial Bâlea Lac at over 2,000 m. Hairpin after hairpin on one of the world's great mountain roads — the day the overall winner is usually crowned.
Stage IV
Sibiu — Mediaș — Sibiu
≈ 181 kmRoad · finaleThe longest day of the race, a loop out to the Saxon town of Mediaș and back. A fast, attacking finale before the final overall standings are sealed in front of the Sibiu crowds.
Jerseys & history
Classifications & past winners
Four jerseys are contested across the four days. Whoever wears yellow into Sibiu on the final afternoon wins the Sibiu Cycling Tour.
Yellow — General classification
The overall leader on cumulative time. The yellow jersey is the prize everyone chases; it almost always changes hands in the mountains.
Green — Points classification
The best all-rounder across intermediate sprints and stage finishes — the consistency jersey for the fastest, most aggressive riders.
White — Mountains classification
The king of the mountains, awarded for points scooped up over the categorised climbs of the Făgăraș range, Păltiniș and the Transfăgărășan.
Red — Best Romanian
The leading home rider on general classification — a jersey that turns the race into a showcase for Romania's own professional cyclists.
On the honour roll
The Sibiu Cycling Tour has launched careers and tested Grand Tour names against its climbs.
2018
Egan Bernal
Won here before becoming Tour de France and Giro d'Italia champion.
2019
Iván Sosa
A pure climber who later took stage wins across the WorldTour.
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A proven climbers' race
The brutal summit finishes consistently reward Grand Tour-calibre mountain riders.
Why watch
Why this race is worth your day
World-class climbing on roads you can drive yourself, a medieval city as the start and finish town, and free roadside access to professional bike racing.
The Transfăgărășan, raced
Watch the peloton tackle one of the planet's most spectacular mountain roads at race pace — hairpins, glaciers and Bâlea Lac.
A genuine UCI peloton
Continental and ProTeam squads, international riders, and the next generation of Grand Tour climbers — all on Romanian roads.
Free at the roadside
Unlike stadium sport, road cycling is free to watch. Pick a climb, a hairpin or the finish straight and the race comes to you.
Sibiu as basecamp
Every stage starts and finishes around Sibiu — a UNESCO-listed Saxon old town that makes a perfect four-day spectating base.
Spectator guide
Where to watch in Sibiu & the mountains
The race is built for spectators: a city-centre prologue you can watch on foot, and mountain stages where the road climbs slowly enough to see the riders suffer. Arrive early on mountain days — roads close ahead of the race.
Piața Mare & the old-town ITT
The historic-centre time trial threads Sibiu's Saxon squares. Stand in the Piața Mare or along the cobbled course for riders flat-out, one at a time.
Bâlea Lac & the Transfăgărășan hairpins
The queen-stage destination at 2,034 m. The upper hairpins offer the most dramatic viewing — but go up early, the Transfăgărășan fills fast on race day.
The Păltiniș summit finish
Romania's oldest mountain resort, a 30-minute drive from Sibiu. The long final ramp is a prime spot to see the GC battle decided.
Make a holiday of it
Sibiu pairs world-class racing with a medieval old town, the Brukenthal museum and easy access to the Făgăraș mountains — a four-day cycling-and-tourism weekend.
The terrain
From Saxon squares to alpine passes
Every stage radiates out of Sibiu (45.80°N, 24.13°E) into the surrounding Făgăraș and Cindrel mountains. Use the map to scout the start town and the high-mountain finishes.
Race week
Day-by-day calendar
The four-day programme for 2026. Exact start and finish times are confirmed in the official roadbook closer to the race.
- 4 iulie
Semi Etapa IA: Sibiu - Rasinari x3 - Sibiu
- 4 iulie
Semi Etapa IB: Sibiu ITT (contratimp individual)
- 5 iulie
Etapa II: Sibiu - Paltinis Arena
- 6 iulie
Etapa III: Sibiu - Balea Lac
- 7 iulie
Etapa IV: Sibiu - Medias - Sibiu
FAQ
Spectator questions
Can I take part, or is this a pro-only race?
The Sibiu Cycling Tour is a UCI 2.1 professional stage race — there is no amateur entry. The public watches from the roadside for free. You can still follow the race here on Competi.ro and on the official site.
What is the queen stage and why does it matter?
The queen stage is the hardest day of the race — the climb up the Transfăgărășan to Bâlea Lac at over 2,000 m. It is usually where the general classification is decided, so it is the day to watch if you only catch one stage.
Where is the best place to watch?
For atmosphere, the city-centre time trial in Sibiu's Piața Mare. For drama, the Transfăgărășan hairpins below Bâlea Lac, or the Păltiniș summit finish. Mountain roads close ahead of the race, so arrive early.
What do the different jerseys mean?
Yellow is the overall leader (general classification), green is the points/sprints jersey, white is the king of the mountains, and red is awarded to the best-placed Romanian rider.
Who has won the Sibiu Cycling Tour?
The race has a strong climbers' pedigree — past winners include Egan Bernal, who went on to win the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, and Iván Sosa. Its summit finishes consistently reward Grand Tour-calibre riders.
When and where does the race take place?
4–7 July 2026, based entirely around Sibiu in central Romania. Every stage starts and finishes in or near the city, making Sibiu's old town an ideal four-day base.
Is it free to watch?
Yes. Like all professional road racing, the Sibiu Cycling Tour is free to watch from the roadside. Pick a climb, a hairpin or the finish straight — the race comes to you.
See you on the Transfăgărășan.
Follow every stage on the official Sibiu Cycling Tour website for live start lists, results and the day's road closures — or follow here on Competi.ro to keep the race on your calendar.