Tour of Bulgaria

The Tour of Bulgaria is an annual international professional bicycle race held in Bulgaria that was first staged on 21 August 1924.[1] It is part of UCI Europe Tour and is category 2.2. The race covers about 1,500 kilometres and lasts two weeks. As of 2017, 66 editions were held. The longest length of the race was in 1949 – 1905 km. The course changes every year, but the race has always started in Sofia.

Tour of Bulgaria
Race details
DateSeptember
RegionBulgaria
English nameTour of Bulgaria
Local name(s)Обиколка на България (in Bulgarian)
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI Europe Tour 2.2
TypeStage race
Web sitewww.tourofbulgaria.com
History
First edition1924 (1924)
Editions69 (as of 2023)
First winner Georgi Abadschiev (BUL)
 Kosta Djulgerov (BUL)
Most wins Ivailo Gabrovski (BUL) (5 wins)
Most recent Michal Schuran (CZE)
Tour of Bulgaria 2010 Stage 4

In the race, cyclists from more than 40 countries have been competing. During the Cold War, the Tour of Bulgaria was one of the most prestigious cycling races in Europe, drawing skilled cyclists from the countries that traditionally produce strong racers, such as Italy, France and Netherlands. Although after the changes in 1989 the race lost some of its prestige for the cyclists in the peloton, nowadays it becomes more and more attractive for them. For example, in 2010 Francisco Mancebo who finished second in the 2004 Vuelta a España and fourth in the 2005 Tour de France, competed in it but only succeeded to finish third after the Bulgarian Krasimir Vasilev and Ricardo Mestre.[2]

In 2017, the race was split into two three-day races based on geographical location.

Winners

Tour of Bulgaria

Year Country Rider Team
1924  Bulgaria Georgi Abadschiev
1924  Bulgaria Kosta Djulgerov
1925
1934
No race
1935  Bulgaria Marin Nikolov
1936
1948
No race
1949  Bulgaria Milko Dimov
1950  Bulgaria Milko Dimov
1951
1954
No race
1955  Bulgaria Stoyan Georgiev
1956  Bulgaria Dimitar Kolev
1957  Bulgaria Nentcho Christov
1958  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1959  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1960  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1961  Bulgaria Dimitar Kolev
1962  Bulgaria Ivan Bobekov
1963 No race
1964  Bulgaria Boris Botschev
1965  Czechoslovakia Jiří Háva
1966  Bulgaria Ivan Bobekov
1967  Czechoslovakia Ján Wenczel
1968  Bulgaria Vesko Kutuev
1969  Italy Selvino Poloni
1970  Netherlands Fedor den Hertog
1971  Poland Ryszard Szurkowski
1972  Bulgaria Ivan Popov
1973  Soviet Union Ivan Skosirev
1974  Soviet Union Rinat Charafulin
1975  Poland Janusz Kowalski
1976  Soviet Union Alexandre Gusiatnikov
1977  East Germany Siegbert Schmeisser
1978  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1979  Soviet Union Yuri Barinov
1980  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1981  Soviet Union Boris Issaev
1982  Soviet Union Leon Deschitz
1983  Bulgaria Venelin Chubenov
1984  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1985  Bulgaria Petar Petrov
1986  Bulgaria Boyko Angelov
1987  Bulgaria Petar Petrov
1988  Bulgaria Valentin Shivkov
1989  France Didier Pasgrimaud
1990  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1991  Yugoslavia Aleksandar Milenković
1992  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1993  Netherlands Mano Lubbers
1994  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1995  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1996  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1997  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1998  Bulgaria Krassimir Vassiliev
1999  Kazakhstan Maxim Gourov
2000  Poland Seweryn Kohut
2001  Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov
2002  Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov
2003  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski
2004  Poland Tomasz Kloczko Dominscout-Sniezka-Lody
2005  Slovakia Martin Prázdnovský CK ZP Sport A.S. Podbrezova
2006  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski CC Nessebar
2007  Bulgaria Evgeni Gerganov Cycling Club Bourgas
2008  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski CC Nessebar
2009  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski Heraklion-Nessebar
2010  Bulgaria Krassimir Vassiliev SK Dobrich
2011  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski Heraklion-Nessebar
2012  Kazakhstan Maxat Ayazbayev Continental Team Astana
2013  France Rémy Di Gregorio Team Martigues SC-Vivelo
2014 No race
2015  Bulgaria Stefan Hristov Brisaspor
2016  Italy Marco Tecchio Unieuro–Wilier
2017
North
 Ukraine Sergiy Lagkuti Kolss Cycling Team
2017
South
 Ukraine Vitaliy Buts Kolss Cycling Team
2018
2019
No race
2020  Poland Patryk Stosz Voster ATS Team
2021  Germany Immanuel Stark P&S Metalltechnik
2022  Ukraine Kyrylo Tsarenko Gallina Ecotek Lucchini
2023  Czech Republic Michal Schuran ATT Investments

References

Diary of Union of Bulgarian cycling, 2007

  1. "Tour of Bulgaria". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. "Stevis tops Bartko for final stage". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
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