Cycling

Cycling starts from the “Lion heart” base camp, follows the coast alee of Primorsko, crosses the city park and through the streets reaches the road fork to Pismenovo. This village marks the 11th km of the route where the first reinforcement checkpoint is. The road leads via the village of Visitza to the second checkpoint in Zabernovo at 22th km. The lion hearts can then enjoy a long downhill section through the millennial forest of Paroria reserve and the famous Thracian Camp at Kachul area. After crossing the bridge of Veleka river the road becomes flat along the right side of the river to the third checkpoint at Kosti at the 75th km from base camp. After climbing on a smooth asphalt road through the amazing natural reserve Silkosia a thrilling downhill takes the riders to Tissovitsa natural reserve and Fazanovo village. There lies the last checkpoint of the cycling leg at the 100th km. Then the route goes directly to base camp “Lion heart” for the final leg – running.

Checking time: 8 hours

Highest point: 391 m

Total Positive Displacement: 2037 m

Distance: 116 km

Base camp – Pismenovo – Visiza – Zabernovo – Thracian lager – Kachul – Kosti – Bulgari (Traffic control checkpoint) – Popovi Rocks – Fazanovo – Kiten – Base camp

This leg follows plenty of different landscape forms and provides possibilities for high average speed. In the first 11 km the route follows mainly uphill, asphalt roads to the village of Pismenovo. At the end of the village begins an uphill forest way, partially covered with asphalt and later goes completely offroad. The first 30 km are light climbing from elevation 0 to 380 m above sea level. After the highest point follows the first steep downhill with high speed and possible accidents. The altering shady places, the speed, dusty surface and grooves require attention and moderate speed.

A short asphalt section of 6 km leads the Lion hearts through the village Visiza, where the main road to the village Zabernovo ends with several kilometers uphill. A left turn and long speedy asphalt downhill lead to the village of Zabernovo. After the checkpoint begins a dirt road, which dives into the reserve Paroria via long, relatively smooth downhill with dusty surface and rubble at places. The same dirt road reaches the left riverside of Veleka, follows it until it crosses the Kachul area via the main road bridge and then after a left curve the participants come back on a flat, dirt road in direction – Kosti village, but on the right side of river. A spring tap is at the beginning of this segment, characterized by the stones covering its surface. Here is a possibility for high average speed on light positive and negative slopes. 18 km of this segment will test the will of the cyclists with plenty of small and not so small stones, inducing discomfort and high risk of tire puncture in case its soft.

The entrance and exit of the Kosti village happens on smooth asphalt, which climbs via the reserve Silkosia to the police checkpoint Bulgari. The next route segment hides the most surprises for the already tired competitors. Its a gradually increasing downhill combined with soft gravel covering the surface over a series of sharp, high speed turns. Increased attention should be kept due to a series of broken bridges with sharp corners, passages through gullies and holes with the width of bicycle tire. After the last fallen bridge begins a segment of several kilometers of dirt road with extremely rough surface of stones as big as a child’s fist.

The last rough segment is the river valley of Trionska in the Tissoviza reserve. It ends into a road leading to Fazanovo village. After a very short uphill the route turns to a flat dirt road via the fields of Fazanovo until it reaches the main road. From that point on, up to the final of the cycling leg the route runs by the coast asphalt alley between Kiten and Primorsko, goes back into the city and finishes at the base camp “Lion Heart” at the Perla beach.