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| Georgi Georgiev National Champion |
A stage win, a podium finish in the final general classification plus the award for best young rider are the targets of the Greek-registered Heraklion-Nessebar team, confirmed today for this year’s FBD Insurance RÁS.
The strong Bulgarian quintet selected for the squad will join previously-announced teams Germany Kuota Indeland, Denmark Designa Křkken and Austria Arbo KTM Junkers for the prestigious international event, which begins in Kilcullen on May 17th and ends eight days later in Skerries.
Four of the five riders on the team competed in last year’s race, and will be bigger threats this time round as a result of that experience. Martin Grashev was second in the best young rider classification as well as fifth on stage two, while Bogdan Stoytchev was third on stage four.
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| Ivailo Gabrovksi Winner Of The 1.2 Ranked GP ShamEl Sheikh In February |
“Also returning are Georgi Georgiev and Spas Gyurov, national champions for road race and stage race respectively. The team is completed by the 2008 Tour of Bulgaria winner Ivaylo Gabrovski, who also scooped the 1.2-ranked GP Sharm El Sheikh in February of this year.
“Our goals in 2009 are to have a rider place in the top three of the final general classification, take a stage win, win the white jersey for best young rider and finish as one of the top six teams,” said team manager Georgi Stefanov.
The 2009 FBD Insurance Rás will begin in Kilcullen on May 17th and run for eight days. The world-ranked contest will be 1289 kilometres in length, includes over twenty categorised climbs, and features stage finishes in Wexford, Cobh, Cahirciveen, Killorglin, Scariff, Castlebar, Clara and Skerries.
More news is expected soon on some of the other strong teams that will be taking part.
