What is proposed is a vehicle roof which has a cover element which can be used to selectively close or at least partially expose a roof opening and which, with respect to a vertical vehicle longitudinal center plane, has a control mechanism for the cover element on each of the two sides, said control mechanism comprising a drive carriage which can be moved in a respective roof-mounted guide rail and controls a pivoting and/or displacement of the cover element, wherein the drive carriages are each connected to a pressure-resistant drive cable which can be driven by means of a drive motor. At least one of the control mechanisms has an initialization stop which, in a front or a rear end position of the cover element, engages in a corresponding guide rail cutout whose edge forms a counter-stop for the initialization stop.