Drag Velorali Cherni Vrah - history, route, and other interesting facts about the most challenging race on Vitosha.

From Boyana to Cherni Vrah and back. The idea behind Velorali Cherni Vrah has always been simple, but the execution - far from it.

The race combines a sustained climb, significant elevation gain, and a technical descent along Vitosha's trails. Participants start at the foot of the mountain, reach its highest point at 2,290 m, and then head back down toward Boyana.

The history of Velorali began in 2004, and over the following years the race gradually became a traditional part of Bulgaria's mountain biking calendar. It attracts some of the country's strongest competitors, as well as amateurs for whom reaching the summit and returning is a sufficiently serious personal goal.

The route has changed over the years, but the basic idea remains the same. In its classic form, the course passes through Byala Voda, Zlatnite Mostove, Momina Skala, and the higher parts of Vitosha to Cherni Vrah, after which the long descent back toward the city begins.

In recent editions, the main route is around 37-38 km long, with approximately 1,700 m of elevation gain. In earlier years, the course reached 42 km, an important clarification when comparing results from different editions.

More than 200 participants at a single start

Velorali's popularity gradually grew, and in 2014 the race reached one of the strongest moments in its history - more than 200 cyclists line up at the start at the Boyana Inn.

At that time, the course was 38 km long, with around 3,300 m of total ascent and descent. Just one year later, MTB-BG described Velorali as one of the most serious and difficult races in Bulgaria, which nevertheless regularly attracted more than 150 participants.

This is also one of the event's distinctive features. It has never been aimed solely at elite competitors. At the start, people with completely different levels of experience and goals can meet - from competitors chasing victory and a record to amateurs who simply want to complete the entire route.

The Race for the Best Time

Over the years, Velorali Cherni Vrah has also developed an interesting history of its records.

In 2009, the Belgian Wouter Cleppe becomes the first competitor to complete the then 42-kilometer course in under three hours. His time is 2:51:52 - a psychological barrier that just a few years later already looks quite different.

In 2011, Klepe lowered the time to 2:29:20, and a year later made another major step forward. In 2012, he reached Cherni Vrah in 1:37:50 and completed the entire 42-kilometer course in 2:21:57. In that edition, over 160 people lined up at the start.

Seven years later, in 2019, Aleksandar Aleksiev from the VELORAPTOR Race Team recorded a time of 2:21:12. He reached Cherni Vrah in 1:41:09 and returned to the finish in Boyana only about 40 minutes later. Aleksiev was the fastest both uphill and downhill in that edition.

The different times cannot be compared entirely directly because the route has changed over the years - in 2012, for example, the course was 42 km, while in 2019 it was about 37 km. But the results show how high the level of the race has been over the years.

The climb is not the only thing that matters

Cherni Vrah is the highest point on the route, but it is only half of the race.

After the long climb, the participants must return to Boyana along a combination of mountain roads and technical trails. Here, physical endurance gives up some of its importance to technique and concentration.

That is why, over the years, Velorali has traditionally awarded not only the overall winners but also the best climbers and descenders.

In 2018, the organizers took another step and, for the first time, included a separate category specifically for the fastest descent from the summit. The winner was Pavel Radev, who reached from Cherni Vrah to Boyana in 43:39 minutes.

That edition also produced another interesting result. The fastest overall time of the day - 2:39:39 - did not come from the “Men Elite” category, but from the junior Alex Ivanov from Veloraptor, who was described by MTB-BG at the time as probably the youngest winner in the history of the race.

Weather is also part of Velorali

The end of September and the beginning of October can offer almost anything on Vitosha.

And the history of the race proves it.

The tenth-anniversary edition in 2013 attracts over 100 participants despite the frozen ridge. The conditions are reminiscent of the first Velorali in 2004, when the competitors also faced unusually severe weather.

In 2016, the conditions are even harsher. Around 70 people start in cold weather, while freezing temperatures, strong winds, dense fog, and sleet await them in the higher parts of the mountain. Despite this, most participants manage to finish the race.

This unpredictability has always been part of the character of Velo Rally Cherni Vrah. Between the start in Boyana and Vitosha's highest point, conditions can be completely different.

A race that evolves over time

The format also gradually changes.

Shorter recreational routes appear, giving less experienced participants the opportunity to be part of the event. The unusual team category is also retained, in which two competitors must pass through the checkpoints practically together.

In 2018, Lachezar Stamenov conducted an interesting experiment by completing the course on an electric mountain bike outside the official standings. A year later, in 2019, the program officially included an e-MTB category for the first time.

And sometimes the race's history offers more unexpected participants. A 2012 report mentions a dog that joins the cyclists in the city, reaches Boyana with them, continues to Cherni Vrah, and is later spotted again at the finish.

From Boyana to Cherni Vrah and back

After so many editions, the bikes, categories, and parts of the route have changed, but the core idea of the Velo Rally has remained almost unchanged.

The start is down below. Cherni Vrah is up above. And the finish is once again in Boyana.

Between them lie a long climb, nearly 1,700 meters of elevation gain, varied mountain terrain, and one serious descent back toward the city.

For the fastest riders, this is a race measured in hours, minutes, and seconds. For many others, the goal is simply to complete the entire route.

And it is precisely this combination that makes Velo Rally Cherni Vrah one of Vitosha's most recognizable MTB challenges.

GPS track of the route HERE:

Facebook event link: https://fb.me/e/8HTAdRa9t

Date and location:

October 17, 2026

The start is at Boyansko Hanche (Boyana district) at 9:00.

Program:

- 7:30 - 8:45 - Meeting point

- 9:00 - Start

- 16:00 - Finish

- 16:30 - Awards ceremony

Participation fee:

• 40 euros (for registration by October 12, 2026)
• 70 euros (from October 13, 2026 to October 16, 2026 year)

Registration and fee payment deadline: 16:00 on October 16, 2026.

Registration HERE: