Tour of Bulgaria- 2.5

Bulgaria, September 18-24, 2000

The stages:

Stage 1 - September 18:

Eight riders went off already after 40 kms, they worked well together but towards the end Kohout (Poland) and the Russian Zakirov, recent winner of the Tour of Macedonia, was able to get a gap. Swedish Lergård (Crescent) outsprinted the rest for third. The peloton was a couple of minutes behind.

Results:

1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team             3.29.58
2. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team 
3. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                      0.34

Stage 2 - September 19:

The second stage ended in a bunch sprint with an Estonian double by Aug and Karug.

1. Andrus Aug (Est) Estonian National Team               3.03.56
2. Oskari Karug (Est) Estonian National Team                0.04
3. Svetoslav Tchanliev (Bul) Bulgarian National Team


General classification after stage 3:


1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team              7.52.01
2. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team                 0.04
3. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                       0.34

Stage 3 - September 20:

The peloton split with 20 kilometres to go. The stage was won by Yougoslavian Brkovic ahead of local Dimitrov. Leading Kohout was not aling at the split but managed to bridge quite soon and keeps the leaders jersey ahead of Zakirov and Lergård. All the other riders in the overall top octet were also along in the front group.

1. Mico Brkovic (Yug) Yugoslavian National Team            4.22.29
2. Dimitar Dimitrov (Bul) Bulgarian National Team
3. Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Crescent


General classification after stage 3:


1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team               10.56.01
2. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team                   0.04
3. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                         0.34

Stage 4 - September 21, 178 km:

Halfway five riders, among them Jonas Ljungblad (Crescent), attacked from the peloton to reach a duo from an early break. When the groups joined Ljungblad attacked immediately and got a gap with one of the local riders. With five kilometers to go Ljungblad launched a final attack and reached the line alone 14 seconds ahead of the approaching peloton.

1. Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Crescent                    4.36.50
2. Andrus Aug (Est) Estonian National Team                   0.14 
3. Mica Brkovic (Yug) Yugoslavian National Team
            

General classification:


1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team              15.33.05
2. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team                  0.04
3. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent,                       0.34


Stage 5 - September 22:

1. Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Crescent


General classification:


1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team              15.33.05

Stage 6 - September 23:


With 20 km to go Crescent riders Lergård and Adamsson attacked on the slippery descent from the final mountain. Adamsson crashed in a turn but Lergård managed to win the stage by 33 seconds to Kohut. With the bonification Lergård took the leaders jersey by nine seconds.

1. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                     3.44.54
2. Slavomir Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team                 0.33
3. Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Team Crescent               

General classification after stege 6:

1. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                    23.38.08
2. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team                  0.09
3. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team                  0.13

Stage 7 - September 24:

When leading Tobias Lergård (Crescent) punctured at the bottom of the final climb six other riders attacked. Lergård's three remaining team mates did their best to help him catch them but when also Petter Renäng punctured the race was over since no one else in the peloton was interested in catching the leaders. Jonas Ljungblad however won the points jersey fort he young Swedish team. 

1. Juha Pajanen (Fin) Finnish National Team               4.43.48
2. Slavomir Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team            
3. Tomas Grönkvist (Swe) Amore & Vita                 
...
8. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                        7.50

Final general classification:

1. Severin Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team               28.02.05
2. Faat Zakirov (Rus) Russian National Team                  0.04
3. Slavomir Kohut (Pol) Polish National Team                 0.26
...
5. Tomas Grönkvist (Swe) Amore & Vita                        0.34
6. Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Crescent                        7.41

Results and reports from Anders Adamsson and Johan Magnusson, Team Crescent