So according to Superbike News “New Supermoto Era Beginning in Pleven“. It starts off by saying:

“With the FIM SuperMoto World Championship making its debut on the brand new circuit of Pleven, Bulgaria, a new era has begun for the sport.

“The former off-road section, which is now called sky, is covered with tarmac; this solution was never adopted before, but has already proved to be extremely successful.”

I just hope that things have improved a tad since I was there in 1996, staying in central Pleven. At that time, it seemed that tarmac had indeed never been adopted before, judging by the state of the roads.

I was staying in the best hotel in Pleven too on a B&B basis, except they couldn’t be bothered to provide any staff so there was no-one to cook breakfast. Or indeed serve it.

Of course things may well have changed post-EU membership: I still recall meeting armed mobsters in an office conversion from some flats on the outskirts of Sofia…