The Tour of Slovakia cycling race is included in the UCI calendar in the 2.1 category, i.e. at the level that allows participation of World Tour teams. This means more points and more prize money for the racers and a more attractive race, with better teams for the spectators. The race will go through the jewels of Slovak history, free royal towns Levoča, Banská Bystrica, Nitra a Trnava. In total there will be 156 professionals from 26 teams from different corners of Europe and overseas fighting for 14 climbing and 12 sprint bonuses on 762 kilometres.
There is an interesting accompanying program prepared in the destination towns. Adrenaline experiences will be taken care of by Ján Kočiš, biketrial world champion, and Nicole Frýbortová and Yannick Martens, world championships medallists in artistic cycling. Performances of Martin Cisár and Paulína Ištvancová, as well as the concert of Hudba z Marsu, will ensure a nice atmosphere. The main prize in the raffle will be a Scott brand bike.
The great cycling weekend for young and old, called Cajgelvíkend (Bike weekend), will take place in Trnava. It will include children’s races, various performances, concerts, raffle, bercajgel (take-a-bike), and cycling for the public. This year’s program in Trnava is a part of the joint European project Erasmus+ “My sport is Franja”.
In addition to the children’s races on Saturday afternoon, there will be a “bercajglist” meeting after the end of the bercajgel ride in the main Trnava square at 16 o’clock, where they will try to create a new Slovak record in “CAJGELZVONČEKOVAČKA” i.e. bike bell ringing. Cyclists from the Tyrnaviavelo club will perform historical demonstrations. On Sunday, the general public will be traditionally allowed to try the smaller round of the final stage in the Energy on Wheels cycling ride.
Interesting information about stage towns
Levoča
is a small town, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2009. The oldest archaeological finds in this area date back to the 9th century, the first written mention dates back to 1249. In 1317 Levoča is mentioned in writing as a royal town. For a long time it had been the most important town of Spiš.
The town has the most preserved medieval walls in Slovakia, and in the Gothic Basilica of St. James, the construction of which probably started in the 13th century, has the highest wooden altar in the world thanks to Master Paul from Levoča.
From more recent history the local lyceum is worth mentioning, where Štúr’s followers went to study after Ľudovít Štúr’s dismissal from Bratislava’s lyceum. It is said that it was on the carriage they rode on the way to Levoča, where Janko Matuška wrote the lyrics of Slovak national anthem.
Banská Bystrica
is the natural centre of Central Slovakia. The first mention of the town dates back to 1255. Copper, iron, and silver were mined in the vicinity of the town. Since 1955, the Medieval Centre has been an urban conservation area and the Municipal Castle is a national cultural monument. In close proximity to the castle there is an inclined urban clock tower. Not far from the tower is the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, the builders of which were inspired by one of the Roman churches.
Nitra
the town under Zobor is mentioned in preserved documents for the first time in 828. In the same year, the oldest Christian church in Slovakia was consecrated in the town. At the time of the Principality of Nitra, where prince Pribina resided, and Great Moravia came into being in 833, was probably the most famous period for the town.
The dominant feature of the town is the castle of Nitra, which is first mentioned in late 9th century. The castle complex includes a Bishop’s Palace, the Basilica of St. Emmeram and many outbuildings surrounded by castle walls.
According to a legend, the town is protected by Corgoň – a brave and powerful blacksmith. During the Turkish siege, a giant man with the hands of a blacksmith and body of a bear emerged directly from the forge. He rolled huge boulders amid the enemies that brought fear and chaos to their lines, and they scattered away.
Trnava
is a town called little Rome, because there are as many as ten churches in the small area of the old town. The most beautiful are the Basilica of St. Nicholas and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Mentions of the first one are from the 11th century. Its northern tower holds one of the largest bells in Europe. The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist dates back to the first half of the 17th century and it is built in the early Gothic style.
The first written mention of the town is from 1211 and in 1238 Trnava, as the first town in Slovakia, won the honour of a royal town. The importance of Trnava increased after 1526, after the Battle of Mohacs, where the Turkish danger forced the nobility to move to the safe north. In the same century, Archdiocese of Ostrihom moved here, and the construction of Trnava University started as well. The beginnings of the Slovak Educated Brotherhood, founded by Anton Bernolák, were also written in Trnava.