Brian Bulgaç

Brian Bulgaç
Bulgaç in 2014
Personal information
Full nameBrian Bulgaç
Born (1988-04-07) 7 April 1988 (age 36)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Amateur teams
2007–2008NHT
2008–2009Beveren 2000 Quick Step
2010–2011Omega Pharma-Lotto Davo
Professional teams
2010Rabobank Continental Team
2012–2013Lotto–Belisol[1]
Jan 2014–Apr 2014Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
May 2014–Dec 2014Giant–Shimano
2015LottoNL–Jumbo
2016Team Vorarlberg

Brian Bulgaç (born 7 April 1988) is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer, who rode most recently for Team Vorarlberg.[2]

Career

Duathlon

Born in Amsterdam, Bulgaç started his sports career as a duathlete. He took part in several Junior European and World Championships, finishing three times in the top 20.[3] The highlight of his duathlon career came in 2008 when he became third of Europe at the Under-23 European Duathlon Championships in Serres.[3] He had a bright future ahead in the sport but due to an achilles tendon injury he was told by his physio therapist to just train on a bicycle for a while.[4] His interest in cycling grew and by the time he was allowed to walk again he decided to focus on cycling.[4]

Rabobank Continental Team (2010)

With a second place in stage two and a third place overall of the Tour de Liège in 2009 Bulgaç earned a spot in the Rabobank Continental Team for the 2010 season.[5] His performances for Rabobank were not convincing enough to keep him in the team for 2011 with a fifth place in the prologue of the Jadranska Magistrala and a ninth place in the Ronde van Midden-Nederland as his best results.[5]

Omega Pharma-Lotto development team (2011)

The Omega Pharma–Lotto team offered him a chance to perform in some smaller races with its development team. He took a second place in the third stage of the Triptyque Ardennaise and won the general classification of a race that has been previously won by riders like Ivan Basso, Paolo Tiralongo and Philippe Gilbert.[6] Later that year he also won the general classification of the Tour de Liège.[5] With help from former professional cyclist Kurt Van De Wouwer he managed to get a professional contract with Lotto–Belisol.[4]

Lotto-Belisol (2012–2013)

He made his grand tour debut during the 2012 Giro d'Italia in which he twice rode in a long break away but failed to reach the finish before the peloton.[7] He reached the finish line in Milan in his first grand tour as the 102nd rider overall.[5]

2014

For the 2014 season, Bulgaç initially joined the Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team.[8] However, in April it was announced that he would move to Giant-Shimano after being invited to a week-long training camp held by the team.[9]

Team LottoNL-Jumbo (2015)

Bulgaç did not get a contract renewal from Giant-Shimano for the 2015 season. Instead, he joined Team LottoNL-Jumbo.[2]

Major results

2009
3rd Overall Tour de Liège
2010
9th Ronde van Midden-Nederland
2011
1st Overall Triptyque Ardennaise
1st Overall Tour de Liège
2012
102nd Overall Giro d'Italia
2014
5th Overall Tour de Taiwan

References

  1. ^ "Race selections January". Lotto–Belisol. Belgian Cycling Project. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 7 January 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2013. Lars Bak, Dirk Bellemakers, Brian Bulgaç, Francis De Greef, Maarten Neyens, Fréderique Robert, Jurgen Van de Walle and Tosh Van der Sande will represent the team in France.
  2. ^ a b Horssels, Maxim. "Brian Bulgac naar LottoNL-Jumbo" [Bulgac to LottoNL-Jumbo]. Wielerflits (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Brian Bulgac results". International Triathlon Union. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Onbekende Nederlander Bulgac valt op in Giro" (in Dutch). Het Parool. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "Brian Bulgaç". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Triptyque Ardennaise". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Bulgac piling up the break kilometers in the Giro d'Italia". Cycling News. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Bulgac naar continentale ploeg" [Bulgac to continental team]. Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (in Dutch). Nederlandse Publieke Omroep. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Giant-Shimano sign Brian Bulgaç". cyclingnews.com. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.