A historic first. The Tour of Armenia has made its entrance onto the international cycling scene, immediately capturing global attention and receiving positive feedback from riders, professionals, enthusiasts and critics. The four stages, held from September 10 to 13, were broadcast worldwide – through platforms such as HBO Max, Disney+, ESPN, Flo Sports, Okko, SBS, SPO TV and Zhibo TV – and followed by media from every continent. News outlets from countries such as Argentina, Belgium, China, Colombia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia and Spain covered the exploits of the 16 teams competing in this inaugural edition of the UCI Europe Tour 2.2 race.

It all began in the picturesque setting of Gavar, followed by a stage along the roads bordering Lake Sevan (known as the "Sea of Armenia") to Mets Masrik, won by Polish rider Michal Pomorski (Att Investments). The next stage then took place from Kirants to Stepanavan, decided in a photo finish in favor of Federico Iacomoni (Team Ukyo), who dedicated his victory to his grandmother, who had passed away just days before. Saturday's stage brought the riders from Martuni to the enchanting scenery of Lake Parz, in Dilijan: a location that also impressed Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez, who came to witness the "queen stage" of the race and present the young protagonist of the day, British rider Max Hinds (Netcompany Ineos Racing Academy). Finally, the grand finale took place in the capital, Yerevan, with the finish in the famous Republic Square; there, a crowd of curious onlookers and cycling enthusiasts witnessed the final sprint and celebrated the first winner of the general classification: Italian Simone Raccani (Team Ukyo).

The event received strong support from the Government of the Republic of Armenia, as confirmed by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Zhanna Andreasyan: "It has been wonderful to see how this project has come to fruition over the past two years, bringing something new to Armenia. This is a historic event in the sporting history of our country; I hope that this inaugural edition is just the beginning of an annual appointment and we are ready to welcome the athletes back to our beautiful country next year. The cycling movement is growing in Armenia and I am certain that this event will serve as an ideal catalyst". The entire country was swept up in enthusiasm: many children took to the streets and many people wanted to experience this historic "first time" up close.

Also fundamental was the support of world-renowned local organizations, such as the main sponsor of the race: the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), Armenia's largest mining company and one of the world's top ten molybdenum producers.

Artyom Petrosyan, member of the Board of Directors of ZCMC CJSC, commented: "The impressions have been fantastic: this was the first major cycling event ever organized in Armenia and I believe it was carried out brilliantly and at the highest level. It is a great honor for us to support the Tour of Armenia and back an initiative that unites sport, healthy lifestyle and Armenia. At first glance, cycling and mining may seem like very different worlds, but they share the same core values: endurance, the ability to cover long distances and responsibility towards the environment and future generations. These are also the values underlying ZCMC's vision of sustainable development".

Khoren Zargaryan, CEO of the local Organizing Committee (the Sports Management Center), outlined the next steps: "For us, success is not just about organizing a flawless race today, but about mastering the dynamics of international cycling. Creating a competent local team, capable of managing future editions with increasing autonomy, is one of our most significant goals. This event is not born as an isolated initiative. Our long-term objective is clear: to establish the Tour of Armenia as a reference international race of great prestige, consolidating its presence in the UCI international calendar year after year. This inaugural edition represents our foundation, the starting point on which the future of the project will develop".

Michele Napoli, CEO of RCS Sport and Events DMCC, who provided his technical consulting, concluded: "The first meeting dates back over two years ago. It all started that day. We shared a common vision, namely to make this country and its extraordinary landscapes known through sport. From a technical standpoint, everything has been excellent and the level has been very high, especially considering that this was the very first edition of a new race. The riders put on a great show for the extraordinary public that followed our debut on the world stage, both in person and through global streaming and broadcasting platforms".

Official Tour of Armenia 2026 website: https://tour-of-armenia.com/