Ksawier Garnek, not “Mateusz Garnek,” won Stage 2 in Sliven in 2:11:32; multiple result sources agree, while Mihajlo Stolić retained the overall lead.
Garnek sprints to Sliven stage win
Polish rider takes bunch sprint as Stolić stays in yellow
In a nutshell
Ksawier Garnek captured the second stage of the Tour of Bulgaria in a high-speed sprint into Sliven, but early time deficits kept him well behind race leader Mihajlo Stolić. Stolić's grip on the yellow jersey proved temporary as tight time margins allowed climbing specialists to overturn the leaderboard over Beklemeto pass, where Antoni Muryj seized the lead and held on to win the Tour in Troyan.
Highlights
- Ksawier Garnek won Stage 2 from Burgas to Sliven in 2:11:32 at an average speed of 48.125 km/h.
- Mihajlo Stolić held the yellow jersey after Sliven in 4:58:42, sitting 15 seconds ahead of Radostin Zlatev.
- Martin Papanov won the Stage 4 mountain test over Beklemeto pass in 2:28:22.
- Antoni Muryj captured the overall title in Troyan with a total time of 12:19:09.
- Radostin Zlatev finished sixth overall, 26 seconds back, as the top Bulgarian rider.
Post-Sliven General Classification Deficits
secondsThe findingFour riders sat within three seconds of each other behind the race leader
- Time deficits behind leader Mihajlo Stolić following the Stage 2 finish in Sliven
- General Classification — Total accumulated race time determining the overall leader
- Tight early margins left the race open for climbers to seize the lead on mountain stages
Stage Winners of the 73rd Tour of Bulgaria
| Stage | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 (Burgas-Sliven) | Ksawier Garnek | 2:11:32 |
| Stage 3 (Sliven-Pavel Banya) | Guillaume Haldimann | 2:14:24 |
| Stage 4 (Pavel Banya-Troyan) | Martin Papanov | 2:28:22 |
| Stage 5 (Troyan) | Rutger Wouters | 2:40:29 |
- Winning times across the final four stages of the 2026 Tour of Bulgaria
- Illustrates how flat bunch sprints gave way to slower, decisive mountain stages
From the Editor’s Diary
Sprint victories deliver individual acclaim, but tight time margins in multi-day stage races leave early leaders vulnerable to dramatic reversals on mountain terrain.
Who's involved
Ksawier Garnek
Polish sprinter for Mazowsze Serce Polski who claimed the Stage 2 bunch sprint
goal → Win flat stages and earn ranking points for his professional squad
Mihajlo Stolić
Serbian stage winner who held the leader's jersey through the first three days
goal → Defend his narrow aggregate time advantage into the mountain stages
Antoni Muryj
Polish rider for Mazowsze Serce Polski who captured the overall title in Troyan
goal → Overturn early deficits on high mountain passes to win the Tour
Radostin Zlatev
Bulgarian cyclist for PSKK Vassil-Levski who finished as top domestic rider in sixth
goal → Stay close to the overall favorites across the climbs
Martin Papanov
Bulgarian rider for Cyto Trigon who launched an attack on the queen mountain stage
goal → Win on favored climbing terrain over Beklemeto
Bulgarian Cycling Federation
National governing body organizing the annual UCI 2.2 stage race
goal → Deliver a five-stage international event and showcase domestic talent
In short
TL;DR: Poland’s Ksawier Garnek won the bunch sprint into Sliven, but early deficits kept him far from the yellow jersey held by Serbia’s Mihajlo Stolić.
Q: How did Garnek win Stage 2 without threatening the race lead?
- Garnek won the 105.5-kilometre sprint in 2:11:32 outside Sliven Municipality.
Previously in this story
Tour of Bulgaria cuts route to 552.8 km
26 August 2026The 73rd International Tour of Bulgaria starts on August 29, 2026, covering five stages before ending in Troyan on September 2.
How it unfolded
Federation designs route for decisive mountain finale
Bulgarian cycling officials mapped out a 552.8-kilometre route structured to build drama toward a mountain climax. At a Sofia press conference, organizers revealed 17 teams from 11 countries for the five-day tour from Primorsko to Troyan. Planners designated the opening three runs for sprinters, deliberately holding back the decisive tests for the climbs over the Balkan Mountains.
Stolić seizes opening stage to build defensive cushion
Crosswinds and early pace on the coastal road to Burgas created the initial gaps that dictated the race. Mihajlo Stolić won the 125.2-kilometre opener to capture the yellow jersey and establish time gaps that shaped every tactical move into Sliven. Riders who were caught behind, including Garnek, entered the second day needing stage wins while carrying significant deficits in the overall standings.
Garnek dominates bunch kick while Stolić protects lead
High speed across the Thracian plain delivered the mass sprint predicted by organizers. Garnek surged outside Sliven Municipality to finish the 105.5 kilometres in 2:11:32 at an average speed of 48.125 km/h, beating Stolić and Veneri. Stolić collected bonus seconds to maintain his lead at 4:58:42, keeping Zlatev fifth at 15 seconds and leaving stage winner Garnek 25th at 1:40.
Mountain pass shatters leaderboard as Stolić cracks
The race unraveled for the sprinters once the course turned toward the mountains. Guillaume Haldimann took Stage 3 into Pavel Banya in 2:14:24 as Stolić clung to a six-second lead, but the ascent over Beklemeto pass destroyed the early order. Martin Papanov took Stage 4 in 2:28:22, Antoni Muryj claimed the race lead at 9:38:40, and Stolić fell to 34th overall, 3:41 behind.
Muryj seals title in Troyan as Zlatev claims sixth
The final circuits around Troyan confirmed the tactical realignment that began in the mountains. Rutger Wouters won the fifth stage in 2:40:29, while Muryj crossed safely to secure the overall title in 12:19:09, holding off Simone Lucca by two seconds and Michele Bonometti by six. Radostin Zlatev finished sixth overall at 26 seconds as the top Bulgarian rider, proving that proximity in Sliven mattered far more than winning the sprint.
Where things stand
The Tour of Bulgaria ended with confirmed results across all five stages. Ksawier Garnek's Stage 2 victory in Sliven stands verified at 2:11:32, contradicting initial reports that misidentified him as Mateusz Garnek. Stolić maintained yellow leaving Sliven in 4:58:42 before the mountains overhauled the standings.
Antoni Muryj secured the general classification in 12:19:09. Radostin Zlatev converted his fifth-place standing after Sliven into a sixth-place overall finish at 26 seconds. The official race route stands documented across Bulgarian Cycling Federation materials and international databases.