Tour of Bulgaria

Last updated

Tour of Bulgaria
Race details
DateSeptember
Region Bulgaria
English nameTour of Bulgaria
Local name(s)Обиколка на България (in Bulgarian)
Discipline Road
Competition UCI Europe Tour 2.2
Type Stage race
Web site www.tourofbulgaria.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
History
First edition1924 (1924)
Editions70 (as of 2024)
First winnerFlag of Bulgaria.svg  Georgi Abadschiev  (BUL)
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Kosta Djulgerov  (BUL)
Most winsFlag of Bulgaria.svg  Ivailo Gabrovski  (BUL)(5 wins)
Most recentFlag of Italy.svg  Matteo Malucelli  (ITA)
Tour of Bulgaria 2010 Stage 4 Tour of Bulgaria 2010 Stage 4.jpg
Tour of Bulgaria 2010 Stage 4

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.

Contents

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

YearCountryRiderTeam
1924Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Georgi Abadschiev
1924Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Kosta Djulgerov
1925
1934
No race
1935Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Marin Nikolov
1936
1948
No race
1949Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Milko Dimov
1950Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Milko Dimov
1951
1954
No race
1955Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Stoyan Georgiev
1956Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Dimitar Kolev
1957Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Nentcho Christov
1958Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1959Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1960Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Bojan Kozev
1961Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Dimitar Kolev
1962Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivan Bobekov
1963No race
1964Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Boris Botschev
1965Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia Jiří Háva
1966Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivan Bobekov
1967Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia Ján Wenczel
1968Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Vesko Kutuev
1969Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Selvino Poloni
1970Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Fedor den Hertog
1971Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Ryszard Szurkowski
1972Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Ivan Popov
1973Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Ivan Skosirev
1974Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Rinat Charafulin
1975Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Janusz Kowalski
1976Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Alexandre Gusiatnikov
1977Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany Siegbert Schmeisser
1978Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1979Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Yuri Barinov
1980Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1981Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Boris Issaev
1982Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Leon Deschitz
1983Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Venelin Chubenov
1984Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Nentcho Staykov
1985Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Petar Petrov
1986Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Boyko Angelov
1987Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Petar Petrov
1988Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Valentin Shivkov
1989Flag of France.svg  France Didier Pasgrimaud
1990Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1991Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Aleksandar Milenković
1992Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1993Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Mano Lubbers
1994Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1995Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1996Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Hristo Zaikov
1997Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Pavel Shumanov
1998Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Krassimir Vassiliev
1999Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan Maxim Gourov
2000Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Seweryn Kohut
2001Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov
2002Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov Gospodinov
2003Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski
2004Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Tomasz Kloczko Dominscout-Sniezka-Lody
2005Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Martin Prázdnovský CK ZP Sport A.S. Podbrezova
2006Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski CC Nessebar
2007Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Evgeni Gerganov Cycling Club Bourgas
2008Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski CC Nessebar
2009Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski Heraklion-Nessebar
2010Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Krassimir Vassiliev SK Dobrich
2011Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Ivailo Gabrovski Heraklion-Nessebar
2012Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan Maxat Ayazbayev Continental Team Astana
2013Flag of France.svg  France Rémy Di Gregorio Team Martigues SC-Vivelo
2014No race
2015Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Stefan Hristov Brisaspor
2016Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Marco Tecchio Unieuro–Wilier
2017
North
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Sergiy Lagkuti Kolss Cycling Team
2017
South
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Vitaliy Buts Kolss Cycling Team
2018
2019
No race
2020Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Patryk Stosz Voster ATS Team
2021Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Immanuel Stark P&S Metalltechnik
2022Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Kyrylo Tsarenko Gallina Ecotek Lucchini
2023Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Michal Schuran ATT Investments
2024Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Matteo Malucelli JCL Team Ukyo

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.