Konstantinos Antoniou added yet another significant achievement to his record, returning to the top of the 37th Spartakiada Cycling Race, completing the route from the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens to Sparta in 8 hours and 1 minute.
The athlete from the APOEL cycling team, wearing bib number 224, crossed the finish line first alongside Greek cyclist Nikos Kampouris of A.S.K. Alpha Kallithea, with both athletes recording the same time of 8:01:00. According to the event’s official online results, the two cyclists broke away from the pack as early as the Achladokampos area and continued together all the way to Sparta.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The 37th Spartakiada took place on Saturday, October 3, with the race starting at 7:30 a.m. from Kallimarmaro. The participants followed the route to the Peloponnese and Sparta, with the finish line located in front of the statue of Leonidas. The event, one of the most historic traditions in Greek cycling, is co-organized by the Cycling Association of Veteran Athletes (PEPA), the Spartan Gymnastics Association, and the Municipality of Sparta, with the authorization of the Hellenic Cycling Federation and under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism.
A Special Connection to the Spartakiada
For Konstantinos Antoniou, this year’s success holds special significance, as it marks his return to the top of the Spartakiada following his previous victory in 2023.
The Cypriot cyclist had taken first place in the 34th Spartakiada, while in 2025 he finished the race in second place. This year’s return to the top, with a time of 8:01:00, confirms his consistent presence among the leaders on one of the most demanding endurance courses in Greek cycling.
This year’s performance is also significantly faster than the time from his previous victory, when he completed the course in 8:31:43.
The success in Sparta comes during a particularly productive racing season for Antoniou, who in 2026 has already claimed the titles of Cyprus Masters Champion in the road race and the individual time trial, confirming his consistency across different road cycling disciplines.
A course that demands endurance and proper pacing
The Spartakiada is one of the most iconic long-distance events in Greek cycling, symbolically connecting Athens with Sparta and bringing together hundreds of cyclists every year. The long distance, the elevation demands, and the need to pace oneself properly make the route particularly challenging, even for experienced athletes.
The turning point for Antonios and Kampouris’s effort this year came on the climb up Achladokampos, where the two athletes managed to pull away from the other contenders for the top spots. Their teamwork over the next few kilometers proved decisive, as they managed to maintain their lead all the way to the entrance to Sparta and cross the finish line together.
Ventus alongside the champion
Konstantinos Antoniou completed this year’s Spartakiada wearing a racing jersey from Ventus, the Cypriot cycling apparel company that specializes in the development and production of specialized cycling clothing.
For Ventus, the presence of a champion on a route as demanding as the Athens – Sparta route is yet another tangible confirmation of the brand’s philosophy, whose primary goal is to create cycling gear that meets the real demands of competitive and endurance cycling.
“Konstantinos’s success at the Spartakiada is particularly important to us because it represents exactly what we want Ventus to stand for: consistency, performance, and a constant drive to improve. The Spartakiada isn’t decided in a single moment; it requires proper preparation, management, and endurance right up to the last kilometer. “We are particularly proud that Konstantinos reached the summit in Sparta wearing Ventus,” said Panagiotis Sakki, Brand Development Manager at Ventus.
This success marks yet another significant milestone for Antoniou and, at the same time, another chapter in Ventus’s growing presence in competitive cycling, through its collaboration with athletes and teams that share the same philosophy regarding performance and development.
Event Details
37th Spartakiada Cycling Race 2026
Date: October 3, 2026
Route: Athens – Sparta
Start: Panathenaic Stadium, Kallimarmaro
Finish: Statue of Leonidas, Sparta
Konstantinos Antoniou: 8:01:00 – 1st to finish / BIB 224
Nikos Kampouris: 8:01:00 – 2nd in the results / BIB 13
Photos: © Nasos Triantafyllou / cyclingphotos.gr
