- Sep 20, 2017
- 13,654
- 25,666
- 28,180
After the easy opener, play time ends here with a long, deceptively tricky mid-mountain stage.
Map and profile
The route
Zero transfer for the riders on this first overnight, which they would probably have appreciated more if it hadn’t meant that all 221 kilometres to the finish will be covered by bike. The first half of the stage is very easy, heading westward through the flatlands of the Upper Thracian Plain (Горнотракийска низина). 100 kilometres into the stage, the route reaches the intermediate sprint in Sliven (Сливен), the first real city reached when travelling inland from Burgas. It is situated at the foot of the Balkan mountains, which have lended their name to the entire peninsula. If you think that’s confusing, you’re not the only one: in Slavic languages, the range is nowadays usually referred to Стара планина (Stara Planina, literally ‘Old Mountain’).
In any case, the route turns north here to cross the mountain range. We are still in its lower eastern part here and the road used is the main one, so it doesn’t get too challenging, but even so these are the first climbs worthy of the name encountered in this race. The climbing is split into two, starting with the Byala pass (прохода Бяла), which is mostly at 5-6% but with a third quarter that is mostly false flat bringing the overall statistics down to 7.7k at 4.6%. After a short descent, it is followed by the Vratnik pass (Вратник), from its easier southern side, which is officially 9.1k at 4.4% but 4.1k at 5.9% excluding the categorised false flat at the start.
A sweeping descent takes us into the northern foothills of the Balkan Mountains, which form the backdrop of the remainder of the stage. The roads are mostly rolling for the next 60 kilometres, as far as the bonus sprint just outside of Lyaskovets (Лясковец). On the other side of this village, it’s time to start climbing up to the Lyaskovets monastery (Лясковски манастир). The official statistics (3.9k at 6.8%) don’t sound that intimidating, but when you realise that once again, RCS have included false flat at the start and end in those figures and that the main body of the climb is 2.5k at 8.9%, it becomes clear that this is a pretty stingy mid-mountain climb. There is an error in the profile below, as this is in fact a cat. 3 and not a cat. 4.
Finish
After the KOM, there are 10.6 kilometres left to race, and the riders start by heading downhill, partially via the highway, until 4.0k to go. The route then briefly follows the Yantra (Янтра) river, but the centre of town is above the valley and that’s where we’re headed. After a 250-metre cobbled section that ends at 2.1k from the line, the road starts to rise. I believe the official profile is a little bit off, as the steeper section definitely doesn’t last until the flamme rouge and the flamme rouge is also a bit lower than 194 metres – 850 metres at 5%, ending at 1.1k to go, is probably closer to the truth. There is another 250-metre cobbled section midway up this little kicker, but here the profile is also a bit off as the cobbled section is where the gradient temporarily levels off (they pass through a square here). The final kilometre is rolling.
Veliko Tarnovo is situated in a particularly narrow and winding part of the Yantra valley, with not one, but two easily defensible hills overlooking the river. As such, the site was settled as early as the 6th millennium BC. Both hills were possibly abandoned during the Roman period. The southern of the two, Tsarevets (Царевец), was certainly refortified by the Byzantines in the late 5th century, then destroyed and refounded as Tarnovgrad in the 6th century during the Slavic invasions. This name was eventually shortened to Tarnovo, with Veliko (meaning Great) being an epithet added during the communist era.
Over the next centuries, Tarnovo gradually developed into a town of decent size, but it only really rose to importance when it was a centre of the Bulgarian uprising in 1185. This uprising was successful, leading to independence from the Byzantine Empire and the establishment of the aforementioned Second Bulgarian Empire. Tarnovo became its capital, and rapidly developed into the political, economic and cultural centre of Bulgaria. During this period, the population peaked somewhere between 10000 and 20000 inhabitants. However, as discussed previously, this Empire was not to last, and when the Ottomans invaded, they inevitably came for Tarnovo. After a three-month siege in 1393, the city fell, and with that the back of the empire was broken. The old city was at least partially burned and destroyed. It is not clear to me whether the existing site was abandoned immediately, but certainly the city centre is located further west nowadays, with the two hills on which the capital had been located now archaeological sites surrounded by fortifications mostly reconstructed in the 20th century.
Tarnovo retained a special place in the Bulgarian psyche, being the location of multiple brief uprisings during the centuries of Ottoman rule. This helps explain why the Ottomans had little interest in the town, and it never recovered the importance it had had before the conquest. Even so, its cultural significance endured to an extent that it was selected as the temporary capital after the establishment of the modern Bulgarian state in 1878. The new constitution, which remained in place until the communist takeover, was ratified here the year after, upon which the capital was transferred to Sofia, which by now had far eclipsed Tarnovo. In 1908, the declaration of independence was officially proclaimed here, in the old home of the tsars, something that definitely wasn’t related to the reigning Prince Ferdinand now being elevated to tsardom.
Another effect of independence was that archaeological excavation of the medieval city commenced, albeit haltingly at first. Both excavation and the city in general were greatly disrupted by the 1913 earthquake, which damaged the majority of the city. Sources conflict on the number of deaths – I have seen figures between 20 and the low hundreds quoted. This came amidst rapid population growth – the town had stood at around 5000 inhabitants at the time of independence, a number that had more than doubled by the time of the earthquake and eventually stabilised at just below 70000 in the late communist period. Modern-day Veliko Tarnovo still retains a significant industrial presence, but has also increasingly developed into a tourist destination.
Veliko Tarnovo as seen from the old fortress (picture by Pudelek at Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
The stage reminds me quite a bit of the opening stage of the 2023 Tour. Just like that day, the most likely scenario is the GC riders coming out to play.
Map and profile
The route
Zero transfer for the riders on this first overnight, which they would probably have appreciated more if it hadn’t meant that all 221 kilometres to the finish will be covered by bike. The first half of the stage is very easy, heading westward through the flatlands of the Upper Thracian Plain (Горнотракийска низина). 100 kilometres into the stage, the route reaches the intermediate sprint in Sliven (Сливен), the first real city reached when travelling inland from Burgas. It is situated at the foot of the Balkan mountains, which have lended their name to the entire peninsula. If you think that’s confusing, you’re not the only one: in Slavic languages, the range is nowadays usually referred to Стара планина (Stara Planina, literally ‘Old Mountain’).
In any case, the route turns north here to cross the mountain range. We are still in its lower eastern part here and the road used is the main one, so it doesn’t get too challenging, but even so these are the first climbs worthy of the name encountered in this race. The climbing is split into two, starting with the Byala pass (прохода Бяла), which is mostly at 5-6% but with a third quarter that is mostly false flat bringing the overall statistics down to 7.7k at 4.6%. After a short descent, it is followed by the Vratnik pass (Вратник), from its easier southern side, which is officially 9.1k at 4.4% but 4.1k at 5.9% excluding the categorised false flat at the start.
A sweeping descent takes us into the northern foothills of the Balkan Mountains, which form the backdrop of the remainder of the stage. The roads are mostly rolling for the next 60 kilometres, as far as the bonus sprint just outside of Lyaskovets (Лясковец). On the other side of this village, it’s time to start climbing up to the Lyaskovets monastery (Лясковски манастир). The official statistics (3.9k at 6.8%) don’t sound that intimidating, but when you realise that once again, RCS have included false flat at the start and end in those figures and that the main body of the climb is 2.5k at 8.9%, it becomes clear that this is a pretty stingy mid-mountain climb. There is an error in the profile below, as this is in fact a cat. 3 and not a cat. 4.
Finish
After the KOM, there are 10.6 kilometres left to race, and the riders start by heading downhill, partially via the highway, until 4.0k to go. The route then briefly follows the Yantra (Янтра) river, but the centre of town is above the valley and that’s where we’re headed. After a 250-metre cobbled section that ends at 2.1k from the line, the road starts to rise. I believe the official profile is a little bit off, as the steeper section definitely doesn’t last until the flamme rouge and the flamme rouge is also a bit lower than 194 metres – 850 metres at 5%, ending at 1.1k to go, is probably closer to the truth. There is another 250-metre cobbled section midway up this little kicker, but here the profile is also a bit off as the cobbled section is where the gradient temporarily levels off (they pass through a square here). The final kilometre is rolling.
Veliko Tarnovo is situated in a particularly narrow and winding part of the Yantra valley, with not one, but two easily defensible hills overlooking the river. As such, the site was settled as early as the 6th millennium BC. Both hills were possibly abandoned during the Roman period. The southern of the two, Tsarevets (Царевец), was certainly refortified by the Byzantines in the late 5th century, then destroyed and refounded as Tarnovgrad in the 6th century during the Slavic invasions. This name was eventually shortened to Tarnovo, with Veliko (meaning Great) being an epithet added during the communist era.
Over the next centuries, Tarnovo gradually developed into a town of decent size, but it only really rose to importance when it was a centre of the Bulgarian uprising in 1185. This uprising was successful, leading to independence from the Byzantine Empire and the establishment of the aforementioned Second Bulgarian Empire. Tarnovo became its capital, and rapidly developed into the political, economic and cultural centre of Bulgaria. During this period, the population peaked somewhere between 10000 and 20000 inhabitants. However, as discussed previously, this Empire was not to last, and when the Ottomans invaded, they inevitably came for Tarnovo. After a three-month siege in 1393, the city fell, and with that the back of the empire was broken. The old city was at least partially burned and destroyed. It is not clear to me whether the existing site was abandoned immediately, but certainly the city centre is located further west nowadays, with the two hills on which the capital had been located now archaeological sites surrounded by fortifications mostly reconstructed in the 20th century.
Tarnovo retained a special place in the Bulgarian psyche, being the location of multiple brief uprisings during the centuries of Ottoman rule. This helps explain why the Ottomans had little interest in the town, and it never recovered the importance it had had before the conquest. Even so, its cultural significance endured to an extent that it was selected as the temporary capital after the establishment of the modern Bulgarian state in 1878. The new constitution, which remained in place until the communist takeover, was ratified here the year after, upon which the capital was transferred to Sofia, which by now had far eclipsed Tarnovo. In 1908, the declaration of independence was officially proclaimed here, in the old home of the tsars, something that definitely wasn’t related to the reigning Prince Ferdinand now being elevated to tsardom.
Another effect of independence was that archaeological excavation of the medieval city commenced, albeit haltingly at first. Both excavation and the city in general were greatly disrupted by the 1913 earthquake, which damaged the majority of the city. Sources conflict on the number of deaths – I have seen figures between 20 and the low hundreds quoted. This came amidst rapid population growth – the town had stood at around 5000 inhabitants at the time of independence, a number that had more than doubled by the time of the earthquake and eventually stabilised at just below 70000 in the late communist period. Modern-day Veliko Tarnovo still retains a significant industrial presence, but has also increasingly developed into a tourist destination.
Veliko Tarnovo as seen from the old fortress (picture by Pudelek at Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
The stage reminds me quite a bit of the opening stage of the 2023 Tour. Just like that day, the most likely scenario is the GC riders coming out to play.
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