[size=85:2y84tq5d]Sofia echo 29 April 2010

Bulgaria to stage biggest mountain bike race in South-Eastern Europe at the weekend

The town of Sopot in central Bulgaria, on the southern outskirts of the Stara Planina mountain range, will host the biggest mountain bike race in Southeastern Europe on the weekend, Bulgarian media reported on April 27 2010.

The Shambhala Open Cup will be staged from April 29 to May 2. The renowned event, which is being organised for the third time, will draw about 400 competitors from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia and the UK, the Bulgarian National Radio website said.

The exciting development for the organisers this year is the registration of the race as a Class II event in the calendar of the International Cycling Union, meaning it will gather points in the international ranking list and gain more publicity.

The competitions will take place in the only one of its kind bike-park with specially built mountain biking layouts, the BNR said.

It's actually a really big centre, with adventure park, it's also the paraglidin centre. Loads were out flying yesterday. May have to pop over there seeing as the sun is out!!

Fab!!! will keep a lookout for this

Oddy

Didn't end up going, but a friend of ours did. She said it was very busy, loads of bikers, a few paragliders, maybe next year we'll go. Only one comp a year, shame.