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Türkiye will compete with 24 cyclists at 2026 Road Balkan Championships, which will be held in Kosovo for the first time from June 5 to 7 in the capital, Pristina.
Organized by the Balkan Cycling Union, the championship will bring together 136 athletes from 10 countries across youth, U17, U19, U23 and elite categories. Türkiye will take part with 15 male and nine female cyclists, making it the second-largest team after Romania.
The event marks a historic step for Kosovo, which will host the Road Balkan Championships for the first time. The competition will include time trial and road race events across three days, giving young and senior cyclists a chance to build up international race experience.
Romania will field the largest team with 25 athletes, followed closely by Türkiye with 24 and Bulgaria with 23. Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece, Montenegro, Moldova and the Greek Cypriot Administration will also be represented.
Dignitaries such as Kosovo Cycling Federation President Avni Nuha, Kosovo Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry representative Blerim Gashani, Kosovo Olympic Committee President Ismet Krasniqi, and Balkan Cycling Union President Emin Muftuoglu are expected to attend the event.
Muftuoglu, who also serves as president of the Turkish Cycling Federation, said the championship was an important platform for Balkan cycling and for the development of future elite athletes.
“I believe that the Balkan Road Cycling Championship, held for the first time in Kosovo, is not only a historic milestone for the host country but also an important platform that contributes to the training of future elite athletes,” Muftuoglu said.
He added that Türkiye’s large squad reflected the importance given to cycling in the region and the opportunities provided to young athletes.
“We consider such organizations extremely valuable for strengthening the Balkan Cycling Union, increasing solidarity between federations and helping our athletes gain international race experience,” he said.
The championship will open on Friday, June 5, with individual time trial races. Elite men and U23 riders will compete over 28 kilometers, while elite women and U19 riders will race over 22 kilometers. U17 riders will take on a 16-kilometer course.
Road races for U17 and U19 categories will be held on Saturday, June 6. The final day, Sunday, June 7, will feature the elite and U23 races, with women competing over 120 kilometers and men over 183 kilometers.
Türkiye’s roster includes riders across elite, U23, junior and cadet categories. The men’s elite team features Tahir Bugra Yigit, Burak Abay and Ahmet Orken, while Arda Tekirdag and Mehmet Emin Cicek will compete in the U23 men’s category.
The women’s squad includes elite riders Sevim Gercek and Gamze Ceyhan, with Fatmanur Dogan in the U23 category. Junior and cadet women riders will also represent Türkiye in Pristina.
The championship is also seen as part of Türkiye’s wider national team development structure, particularly as young cyclists gain experience on the road toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
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