On Saturday, 3 October 2026, the Ignacij Borštnik Cultural Hall in Cerklje hosted the talk evening “From the Front Row – Stories the Race Doesn’t Show”. Held after the women’s elite road race and on the eve of the men’s elite race of the European Championships, the evening offered visitors an honest and relaxed look behind the scenes of top-level cycling.
Experiences from different corners of the cycling world
Taking part in the conversation were former top cyclist Jani Brajkovič, coach and sports director Andrej Hauptman, former professional cyclist, sports director and commentator Martin Hvastija, Marjeta and Mirko Pogačar, and experienced sports journalist and reporter Igor Tominec. The conversation was moderated by sports journalist Anže Bašelj.
The guests shed light on the world of professional cycling from different angles – from what happens in the peloton and the decisions made in the team car to journalists’ coverage of the biggest races and the role of the family on a young athlete’s journey.
Jani Brajkovič, Martin Hvastija, Igor Tominec and Anže Bašelj shared with the audience a wealth of experiences, adventures and anecdotes from their many years of involvement in Slovenian and international cycling. It was the guests’ easy-going interplay with one another that gave the evening a special dynamic and brought out many stories that usually remain beyond the reach of television broadcasts.
Praise for the roads and the organisation of the European Championships
The speakers praised the well-maintained roads in the Municipality of Cerklje na Gorenjskem and the excellent conditions for staging the final laps of the European Championships.
They stressed that Slovenia had never before hosted a cycling event of this size and organisational complexity at this level, which made the Championships an important milestone both for Slovenian cycling and for the places along the course.
A child must still have a childhood, despite sport
One of the strongest messages of the evening concerned the healthy development of children in sport. The guests emphasised how important it is for a child to keep their childhood despite training and competitions.
Parents should support children in their interests rather than pushing them into sport or deciding for them what and how much they must train. The decision to pursue a more serious sporting career must mature gradually within the child, and adults must also be able to recognise the moment when the child needs to be protected from excessive expectations and pressure.
The family on a top athlete’s journey
A particularly personal perspective came from Marjeta and Mirko Pogačar, who spoke about the family’s support on a young cyclist’s path from his first training sessions to the very top of the world.
Their experiences intertwined with the views of coaches, former competitors and journalists, showing that behind every top result there are always many people, relationships, decisions and sacrifices.
Riding the European Championships course with Jani Brajkovič
Ahead of the talk evening, a guided cycling tour of part of the European Championships course also took place, with commentary by Jani Brajkovič.
The participants got to know the characteristics of the course and its most demanding sections through the eyes of a former top cyclist who knows well how a rider experiences the course during the race itself.
An evening of stories that live on beyond the finish line
At the Cerklje Tourism Board, we are proud that during the European Championships, in addition to following the races, we also organised an event rich in content that brought together athletes, experts, journalists, families and cycling enthusiasts.
The talk evening showed that cycling is not only about results and victories, but above all about people and the stories that live on even after the finish line has been crossed.
Thank you to all our guests for their honesty and valuable experiences, to Anže Bašelj for hosting the evening, and to everyone in the audience who joined us to listen to stories from the front row.
Photos: Sportida and Vid Ponikvar
