Groma Hold is the general sponsor and has long been involved in the construction and maintenance of roads in the Rhodopes as a key prerequisite for stimulating the local economy and tourism.
The second edition of the legendary L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France race is coming up on July 28 in the Velingrad area. The organizer is the Sports Club “Sport for All – Sofia in Europe,” and the general sponsor of the race is the established road construction company Groma Hold. So far, nearly 650 participants have registered for the race, which is 20% more than during the same period last year. Forty Bulgarians who participated in last year’s race are taking part in L’Etape by Tour de France in Nice this week.
The route in the Velingrad area includes two routes – a long one (102 km) and a short one (57 km) with a maximum elevation gain of 1,700 meters. Both amateurs and professionals can participate. Any type of bicycle will be allowed on the short 57 km route, while only road bikes will be allowed on the 102 km route. The winners will be announced in several age categories for men and women, with the legendary yellow jersey being awarded only for the best cycling achievement.
Last year’s edition of L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France attracted enormous interest, with over 850 participants from 22 countries taking part in the race. Their average age was 40.4 years, and 85 of them were women. The oldest participant was 79 years old. The young skiing hopeful Borislav Hadzhistoyanov from Razlog won the long distance of 102 km with a time of 2 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. In the short 57 km race, the best was our renowned cyclist Danail Petrov, who completed the course in 1 hour, 44 minutes, and 51 seconds.
One of Bulgaria’s most famous cyclists, Nikolay Mihaylov, also supported L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France. He is the only Bulgarian to have completed one of the major cycling tours, the Giro d’Italia. “I will participate with great pleasure. The organization last year was perfect, the roads were perfect. I would like to thank the sponsors Groma Hold and European Roads because the route was truly flawless, the gravel section was flawless. I have competed at the highest level, and L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France was in no way inferior. This is a great opportunity to promote amateur cycling,” said Nikolay Mihaylov.
Borislav Velkov from 360 All Digital, marketing partner of the general sponsor, participated in the press conference on behalf of Groma Hold. He said that the company knows very well the road to the top, which is also the slogan of the general sponsor of the race, because Groma Hold has years of experience in building and maintaining large-scale, difficult roads in the Rhodopes that lead to the top. Support for L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France is not an end in itself. It is part of Groma Hold’s overall strategy to support cultural and sporting initiatives, including the Sportika women’s football team in Blagoevgrad, the young motorsport hopeful Ivan Vlachkov, the theatre in Blagoevgrad and many others. “The company believes that sports and culture help build values, but also create and maintain communities,” said Borislav Velkov.
Margarita Popivanova, CEO of European Roads, the company that was the general sponsor of the first edition of L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France last year, also expressed her satisfaction with the results. “I think that organizing the race is very similar to building roads. The dedication with which you work, the teamwork, the round-the-clock effort, and most importantly, seeing the results of your work and saying to yourself, ‘I gave it my all, and what I built will remain for future generations. So, with that in mind, last year we launched L’Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France, and there’s no way we won’t be back again this year. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to deprive my entire team of experiencing that emotion again. As you know, the stage route was built by European Roads, and we have a contract signed for the next four years for winter and summer maintenance of all roads in the Pazardzhik region. We are proud that the roads we have built have been chosen by the organizer for the tour route and meet all the requirements of the French license holder,” Margarita Popivanova added.
The spirit of the Tour de France will be recreated again this year through a sports village in the center of Velingrad, which will be available to competitors and visitors to the city throughout the weekend—from July 26 to 28. There, cycling enthusiasts will see exhibits from the Tour de France Museum, meet the iconic mascot of the race – Didi the Devil – and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of one of the most significant sporting events in Bulgaria this summer. On Saturday, the organizers plan to warm up the excitement with a 5-kilometer ride in the city of Velingrad, designed for families and groups of friends, as well as a 0.5-kilometer ride for the youngest cycling enthusiasts.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Pavlin Petrov said that this is a great opportunity for everyone, especially for Velingrad, the spa capital of the Balkans, where nearly 80% of the residents make their living from tourism. “Sports and tourism are an integral part of our country’s development. They are related sectors. In addition to becoming the arena for a sporting event, Velingrad will also have the opportunity to present a comprehensive world-class tourism product,” Pavlin Petrov added.
The organizers hope that through L’Etape Bulgaria from the Tour de France, Velingrad will establish itself as Bulgaria’s new cycling destination.
“The excitement is truly incredible, you can only feel it when you are there, and for me this is a logical result when local authorities, non-governmental organizations, private businesses, and the national government in the form of the Ministry of Tourism come together,” said Tsvetana Spasova, head of the Tourism and Advertising Department at the Municipality of Velingrad, host of the competition.
