The State Individual Championship in road cycling for veteran riders was held near the town of Sliven this year as well. Simultaneously, with a small time difference and on the same routes was held the Men's State Team Championship, details of whose uncompromising clash, accompanied by a rich gallery of images you can read in our news here.

From the nearly 50 participants recorded on the start sheet, 41 started on the first day in the Individual time trial over a distance of 10 km. Competitors were divided into four age groups - over 60 years, from 50 to 59 years, from 40 to 49 years and up to 40 years. Winner in the first group was Nedelcho Petrov, CC Sliven with the incredible time of 14:10:10 min, which was the third best time in the race at all. In the second age group Ivan Vasilev, CC Dobrich, was the one to cover the 10 kilometer distance in least time, with 14:37:12 min. In the most contested and homogeneous group of veterans - 40 to 49 years was made the best time - the winner of the Tour of Bulgaria and a great time-trial rider Boiko Angelov from Hemus1896 - VIVELO managed to stop the stopwatch at 13:43:50 min, achieving an average speed of 43,716 km/h. All 10 riders managed to fit in the framework of 3:00:05 min. In the age group up to 40 years the categorical winner became Rosen Stanchev, VK "Mammoth" Sofia. He achieved the second best time in the race - 13:47:29 min. Kiril Kirilov, team Hemus1896 - VIVELO made a fifth place, with a time of 15:30:80 min . In practice, both times under 14 min were achieved by athletes, which were riding Fly - the Time trial bicycles of VIVELO. After the race Rosen Stanchev wrote in the forum koloezdene.com: "The TT bike of Vivelo... - very good!" and meaned to cover the 10-kilometer distance on his next attempt with ViVELO's Fly for less than 13 min.

On the second day of the Championship a mass-start over a closed route with a length of 19,5 km was held, as competitors in the age group above 60 years had to make three laps and the rest of the riders - 4. With so strong and motivated riders the victory in both finals was decided in a sprint, as in age group over 60 years Georgi Dimitrov, Nedelcho Petrov (CC "Sinite kamani" - Sliven), Nikola Demirev (CC Bourgas), Stefan Baharov (CC "Sinite kamani" - Sliven) and Tanyo Tanev flashed past the finish line with the same time of 1h 10min 47s and in the finish of the other age groups tour later on the road was quaked by the sprint of 19 men, which have crossed the finish line with the same time of 1 h 41 min 23 s. Ultimately the win in the age group over 60 years twas snatched by Georgi Dimitrov, and the other final was won again by Boiko Angelov from Hemus1896 - VIVELO. Kiril Kirilov, team Hemus1896 - VIVELO finished fifth in his age group, being credited with the same time of 1 h 41 min 23 s, since finishing among the same group of 19 riders. The successes of the veterans of Hemus1896 - VIVELO and of the bicycles of our official sponsor - ViVELO - the new Bulgarian brand for bicycles are cause for great joy and pride as they were achieved at the sports forum of the best men Bulgaria can boast of in cycling over the years.  | See Photo Gallery