Four stages, 530.8 kilometres, 9,454 metres of climbing and no shortage of racing stories. The 13th edition of the Peace Race U23 marked a major step forward in several respects. For the first time, the race was held as a UCI Europe Tour 2.2U event, allowing development teams from professional squads to line up alongside national selections. The result was an exceptionally strong field, racing that remained wide open until the final day, and several standout performances from the Czech riders. Here are five moments that defined the 2026 Peace Race.
1. Landbo came, saw and won – twice
The first half of the race belonged to one man. Denmark’s Mads Landbo arrived in the Jeseníky Mountains with a reputation as a fast finisher and immediately showed why in the opening stage from Jeseník to Šumperk. After 112 kilometres, he won the bunch sprint, pulled on the yellow jersey and repeated the trick the following day. Despite almost 2,500 metres of climbing between Uničov and Rýmařov and a brutal pace in the finale, the 21-year-old Dane once again proved the fastest at the line. Two stages, two wins and an 11-second lead heading into the weekend. The mountains would reveal whether he could extend his reign.
2. Dlouhé stráně turned the race on its head
The queen stage once again proved that Dlouhé stráně shows no mercy. Extremely strong winds forced the organisers to shorten the final climb by roughly 2.5 kilometres, but that did little to make life easier for the favourites. Only around 40 riders remained at the front after Přemyslovské sedlo, and the group was blown apart for good on the final ascent. Twenty-year-old Belgian Kamiel Eeman proved strongest, beating Ireland’s Adam Rafferty and taking both the stage win and the yellow jersey in one decisive blow. Overnight leader Landbo, meanwhile, paid the price for the mountainous terrain and dropped out of GC contention.
3. Monti takes fifth among the best
The queen stage also delivered one of the biggest Czech highlights of the entire race. Alberto Monti stayed with the strongest riders on Dlouhé stráně and crossed the line in fifth place, just 12 seconds behind winner Eeman. That result also put him fifth overall going into the final day. And although, by his own admission, the Šternberk circuits hurt even more than Dlouhé stráně, he held onto the position. The 22-year-old Czech called fifth overall the biggest result of his career so far. Against a field packed with national teams and development squads from top professional outfits, it was a performance carrying plenty of weight.
4. Ježek attacks his way onto the podium in Šternberk
The Peace Race saved another dose of Czech joy for the very end. With nine kilometres remaining in the final stage, Václav Ježek jumped clear of the chase group and bridged across to the leading duo of Eeman and Rafferty. The trio was reeled back in on the final ascent over the Šternberk cobbles, but Ježek refused to give up the fight for the podium. He eventually crossed the line third, just four seconds behind the winner, securing the only Czech stage podium of this year’s race. For a rider who only committed fully to road racing this season, it was further confirmation of a remarkable year.
5. Eeman seals Belgian domination with an attacking finale
With the yellow jersey on his shoulders, Kamiel Eeman could have spent the final stage simply defending his lead. Instead, he chose to race on the front foot. Together with Rafferty, he attacked before the final Šternberk circuit and, even after the group came back together, refused to settle for simply marking his GC rivals. When his biggest challenger went again, Eeman responded – and ultimately rode away with not only the overall title but also his second stage victory in as many days. After conquering Dlouhé stráně, he also won in Šternberk and sealed the Peace Race overall by ten seconds over Rafferty. At just 20 years old, he claimed his first U23 stage-race victory and emerged as the defining rider of the 13th edition.
Photo: Jan Brychta
