site.btaMayor Dimitar Nikolov: Giro d’Italia Organisers Gave Burgas “Perfect” Rating for Preparations

"We laid enough asphalt and met all the detailed requirements set by the organisers from the Italian side. Just today, when I asked them how we had performed, they said: ‘Perfetto [perfect in Italian].’ That was enough,” Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said ahead of the official team presentation for the Giro d’Italia cycling race at the city’s Summer Theatre.

In 2026 Bulgaria is hosting the Grande Partenza event of the 109th Giro d'Italia. Running through key centres of culture and wonders of nature, the route is divided into three stages, each taking one day from May 8 to 10.

Caretaker Ministers of Sports Dimitar Iliev and of Tourism Irena Georgieva also arrived for the event. Nikolov expressed special thanks to the two ministries for their support and for choosing Burgas as the starting point of the prestigious competition.

The Mayor said that all routes have been fully prepared and cleaned. He also highlighted the role of the local community in the preparations: “I also thank my fellow citizens who got involved. If you walk around the city, you will see stickers, pink balloons and pink flags everywhere in shops, restaurants and cafés.” 

According to Nikolov, this enthusiasm turns the event into a real celebration. “I am convinced it will become a festival, because it is unlikely that the city will host the Giro d’Italia again. This happens once in our time and is a unique investment not only in tourism but also in our long-term image,” he added. 

Nikolov said that hotels in the region are fully booked and interest from fans is extremely high. Visitors are arriving by campers, minibuses and buses, alongside the numerous technical teams accompanying the race.

The Burgas Mayor praised the “perfect organisation and synchronisation between local and state authorities” and thanked all partners for enabling the successful implementation of the project.

The official team presentation is currently taking place at the Summer Theatre in Burgas. The first stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia will start on May 8 in Nessebar and finish in Burgas. The following day cyclists will travel from Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo, and on May 10 the route will start in Plovdiv and end in Sofia.