Tour of Romania to start in Moldova for the first time

The ‘Tour of Romania’ cycle race will take place in Moldova for the first time

The ‘Tour of Romania’ is taking place outside the country for the first time: on 9 September, the first stage of the multi-day cycle race will start in Chișinău and finish in Ungheni. The distance will be approximately 160 km.

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In 2026, the ‘Tour of Romania’ will be held for the 58th time. The race, which has a history spanning 90 years, will take place from 9 to 13 September. This year, the route will pass through Moldova for the first time, after which the competition will continue in Romania and conclude in Bucharest.

The participating teams will be presented on 8 September in the square in front of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The first stage will start from the same location on 9 September. The peloton will ride through Chișinău at a ceremonial pace, then head via Codru and the districts of Ialovena, Hîncești, Strășeni and Călărași. The finish is scheduled to take place in Ungheni.

This year’s route links Chișinău and Bucharest, both of which are home to triumphal arches – the race will start in the Moldovan capital and finish in the Romanian capital.

In doing so, Moldova pays tribute to its cycling history, linked to names such as Andrei Tchmil – one of the most outstanding specialists in classic one-day races in this part of Europe. He won Paris–Roubaix (1994), Milan–San Remo (1999) and the Tour of Flanders (2000).

Another notable name is Serghei Tvetcov. Born in Chișinău in 1988, he became a multiple champion of Moldova and Romania in road races and the individual time trial. It was Romania that gave him the opportunity to develop an international career and pave the way for great sporting achievements.

Cristian Raileanu, born in 1993 in Bălți, has followed in Serghei Tvetcov’s footsteps. Since 2022, Cristian, like Sergei, has based his career in Romania. He is currently the reigning Romanian champion in road racing and the individual time trial, as well as a multiple Moldovan champion in these disciplines.

It should be noted that the organisers of the ‘Tour of Romania’ are the Romanian Cycling Federation and the Romanian National Agency for Sport. The main partner of the event is Auchan. The stage in Moldova was supported by the Moldovan Cycling Federation and the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova.

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