Touring Bulgaria on a vintage bicycle

The tour of Bulgaria by one of the country's most active ultra-cyclists, Martin Gergov, is underway as he rides the iconic retro "Balkan" bicycle. After completing a nearly 5,000 km journey from Sofia to Dubai at the end of 2025—crossing Greece, Türkiye, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates in 45 days—he is now drawing the attention of his followers and extreme sports enthusiasts with a cycling tour of his homeland.

The cycling expedition began on June 25 in Sofia and spans a total distance of 2,430 km. The route has been planned to stay as close as possible to Bulgaria's borders. Each day, Martin Gergov covers between 70 and 100 km, with the tour scheduled to conclude on August 5 in Sofia.   

"I'm riding mainly on asphalt roads to spare my old Balkan bicycle, which is roughly the same age as I am (production of the Bulgarian 'Balkan' bicycles began in 1957 in Lovech). That's why I'm sticking to secondary roads, following a route as close as possible to Bulgaria's borders. At the moment I'm cycling along the Danube River. After my stop in Ruse on July 8, I'll continue through Silistra to Durankulak, then head south along the Black Sea coast, before crossing the Strandzha and Rhodope mountains and riding from Petrich to the final destination— Sofia", said Martin Gergov. 

Martin Gergov was born in 1979 and is a four-time Bulgarian powerlifting champion, a fitness coach, and a vlogger. He believes that being physically fit also makes people mentally more resilient in the face of today's challenges:

"People need to learn to step outside their comfort zone. Only then can they truly remain human instead of becoming robots of the modern world. Once you leave your comfort zone, your mind begins to operate on a different level—you become more confident because you're constantly facing and overcoming all kinds of challenges", the Bulgarian believes.

His greatest challenge today is also his greatest source of inspiration—the "Balkan" bicycle he remembers from his childhood in the 1980s in the village of Svirachi, near Ivaylovgrad. In an interview with Hristina Dimitrova for BNR-Shumen, Martin Gergov says that safety is the number one priority during his journey, while the joy of returning to childhood memories and discovering the beauty of Bulgaria is beyond compare.

"At the same time, I want to show people Bulgaria's unique nature through the eyes of a small bicycle. I want to remind the younger generation of the past. I also want to remind our politicians that they should not forget Bulgaria's roots-our small villages, which once thrived with life", he says.

The entire journey of Martin Gergov can be watched live on his YouTube channel and followed on the Komoot platform. The Bulgarian says he has many followers from the Arab world and is considering inviting fellow cyclists from the region to repeat the tour of Bulgaria with him in a year or two, but this time on modern bicycles.

Edited by Vesela Krasteva

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov