Tour of Bulgaria
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | September |
| Region | Bulgaria |
| English name | Tour of Bulgaria |
| Local name(s) | Обиколка на България (Bulgarian) |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI Europe Tour 2.2 |
| Type | Stage race |
| History | |
| First edition | 1924 |
| Editions | 63 (as of 2013) |
| First winner |
 Georgi Abadschiev/Kosta Djulgerov (BUL) |
| Most wins |
Ivailo Gabrovski (BUL) (5 wins) |
| Most recent |
 Rémy Di Gregorio (FRA) |
The Tour of Bulgaria is an annual international professional bicycle race held in Bulgaria. First staged in 21 August 1924, the race is older than the Vuelta a España. 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 2012, 62 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.
In the race, cyclists from over 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.[1]
Winners
| Rider | Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | |
Abadschiev, GeorgiGeorgi Abadschiev (BUL) | ||
| 1924 | |
Djulgerov, KostaKosta Djulgerov (BUL) | ||
| 1925 1934 |
No race | |||
| 1935 | |
Nikolov, MarinMarin Nikolov (BUL) | ||
| 1936 1948 |
No race | |||
| 1949 | |
Dimov, MilkoMilko Dimov (BUL) | ||
| 1950 | |
Dimov, MilkoMilko Dimov (BUL) | ||
| 1951 1954 |
No race | |||
| 1955 | |
Georgiev, StoyanStoyan Georgiev (BUL) | ||
| 1956 | |
Kolev, DimitarDimitar Kolev (BUL) | ||
| 1957 | |
Christov, NentchoNentcho Christov (BUL) | ||
| 1958 | |
Kozev, BojanBojan Kozev (BUL) | ||
| 1959 | |
Kozev, BojanBojan Kozev (BUL) | ||
| 1960 | |
Kozev, BojanBojan Kozev (BUL) | ||
| 1961 | |
Kolev, DimitarDimitar Kolev (BUL) | ||
| 1962 | |
Bobekov, IvanIvan Bobekov (BUL) | ||
| 1963 | No race | |||
| 1964 | |
Botschev, BorisBoris Botschev (BUL) | ||
| 1965 |  |
Háva, JiříJiří Háva (TCH) | ||
| 1966 | |
Bobekov, IvanIvan Bobekov (BUL) | ||
| 1967 | |
Wenczel, JanJan Wenczel (TCH) | ||
| 1968 | |
Kutuev, VeskoVesko Kutuev (BUL) | ||
| 1969 |  |
Poloni, SelvinoSelvino Poloni (ITA) | ||
| 1970 |  |
den Hertog, FedorFedor den Hertog (NED) | ||
| 1971 |  |
Szurkowski, RyszardRyszard Szurkowski (POL) | ||
| 1972 | |
Popov (cyclist), IvanIvan Popov (cyclist) (BUL) | ||
| 1973 |  |
Skosirev, IvanIvan Skosirev (URS) | ||
| 1974 | |
Charafulin, RinatRinat Charafulin (URS) | ||
| 1975 | |
Kowalski, JanuszJanusz Kowalski (POL) | ||
| 1976 | |
Gusiatnikov, AlexandreAlexandre Gusiatnikov (URS) | ||
| 1977 |  |
Schmeisser, SiegbertSiegbert Schmeisser (DDR) | ||
| 1978 | |
Staykov, NentchoNentcho Staykov (BUL) | ||
| 1979 | |
Barinov, YuriYuri Barinov (URS) | ||
| 1980 | |
Staykov, NentchoNentcho Staykov (BUL) | ||
| 1981 | |
Issaev, BorisBoris Issaev (URS) | ||
| 1982 | |
Deschitz, LeonLeon Deschitz (URS) | ||
| 1983 | |
Chubenov, VenelinVenelin Chubenov (BUL) | ||
| 1984 | |
Staykov, NentchoNentcho Staykov (BUL) | ||
| 1985 | |
Petrov, PetarPetar Petrov (BUL) | ||
| 1986 | |
Angelov, BoykoBoyko Angelov (BUL) | ||
| 1987 | |
Petrov, PetarPetar Petrov (BUL) | ||
| 1988 | |
Shivkov, ValentinValentin Shivkov (BUL) | ||
| 1989 | |
Pasgrimaud, DidierDidier Pasgrimaud (FRA) | ||
| 1990 | |
Shumanov, PavelPavel Shumanov (BUL) | ||
| 1991 |  |
Milenkovič, AleksandarAleksandar Milenkovič (YUG) | ||
| 1992 | |
Shumanov, PavelPavel Shumanov (BUL) | ||
| 1993 | |
Lubbers, ManoMano Lubbers (NED) | ||
| 1994 | |
Zaikov, HristoHristo Zaikov (BUL) | ||
| 1995 | |
Zaikov, HristoHristo Zaikov (BUL) | ||
| 1996 | |
Zaikov, HristoHristo Zaikov (BUL) | ||
| 1997 | |
Shumanov, PavelPavel Shumanov (BUL) | ||
| 1998 | |
Vassiliev, KrassimirKrassimir Vassiliev (BUL) | ||
| 1999 |  |
Gourov, MaximMaxim Gourov (KAZ) | ||
| 2000 | |
Kohut, SewerynSeweryn Kohut (POL) | ||
| 2001 | |
Dimitrov Gospodinov, DimitarDimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov (BUL) | ||
| 2002 | |
Dimitrov Gospodinov, DimitarDimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov (BUL) | ||
| 2003 | |
Gabrovski, IvailoIvailo Gabrovski (BUL) | ||
| 2004 | |
Kloczko, TomaszTomasz Kloczko (POL) | Dominscout-Sniezka-Lody | |
| 2005 |  |
Prázdnovský, MartinMartin Prázdnovský (SVK) | CK ZP Sport A.S. Podbrezova | |
| 2006 | |
Gabrovski, IvailoIvailo Gabrovski (BUL) | CC Nessebar | |
| 2007 | |
Gerganov, EvgeniEvgeni Gerganov (BUL) | Cycling Club Bourgas | |
| 2008 | |
Gabrovski, IvailoIvailo Gabrovski (BUL) | CC Nessebar | |
| 2009 | |
Gabrovski, IvailoIvailo Gabrovski (BUL) | Heraklion-Nessebar | |
| 2010 | |
Vassiliev, KrassimirKrassimir Vassiliev (BUL) | SK Dobrich | |
| 2011 | |
Gabrovski, IvailoIvailo Gabrovski (BUL) | Heraklion-Nessebar | |
| 2012 | |
Ayazbayev, MaxatMaxat Ayazbayev (KAZ) | Continental Team Astana | |
| 2013 | |
Di Gregorio, RémyRémy Di Gregorio (FRA) | Team Martigues SC-Vivelo | |
References
Diary of Union of Bulgarian cycling, 2007
- ↑ "Stevis tops Bartko for final stage". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). 20 September 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
External links
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