The rugged beauty of the Rhodope Mountains provided a spectacular backdrop for yesterday’s Granfondo Bulgaria, where riders faced a demanding 140 km course characterised by long climbing and breathtaking scenery.
From the very start, the peloton was stretched across the winding mountain roads, with early attacks quickly whittling the field down to a select group of contenders. Amongst the 425 participants, also Giro legend Ivan Basso (ITA) took the start. The decisive move came on the longest ascent of the day, where two home favourites — Borislav Hadzhistoyanov and compatriot Borislav Palashev — managed to break clear.
The pair worked well together over the final kilometres, steadily increasing their advantage on the chasing group. Behind them, a group of four riders tried to organise a chase, but the gap stabilised at 2 minutes and 37 seconds.
The victory was ultimately decided in a head-to-head sprint, where Hadzhistoyanov proved the fastest, delighting the home crowd with a prestigious win on Bulgarian soil. Palashev had to settle for second place, while the battle for third played out behind, where Yordan Petrov was the strongest in the sprint from the chasing quartet to complete an all-Bulgarian podium.
In the women’s race, Bel Levene (GBR) delivered a dominant performance on the challenging course. Riding consistently strong throughout the climbs, she built a comfortable lead and crossed the finish line as a clear winner. Mariya Nikolova secured second place at 23 minutes and 23 seconds, while Milena Zlateva rounded out the podium in third.
The event also featured a shorter Mediofondo, serving as a qualification race for men over 60 and women over 50 aiming for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. In these categories, Mutlu Ercevik (TUR) and Kate Olgers (AUS) claimed victory in the older categories, securing their qualification after strong performances.
