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Writer's pictureHristina Telencheva

The Will of a Champion


He is very special person because he is from that rare breed of people who are on the verge of extinction.


He will literally rush to help his friend if he asks for help.

An honest and sincere person who will tell you the truth in your eyes, even if you don't like it ... right now. He will keep your secrets and trust you have placed in him because he is responsible and keeps his word. And this is precious - to have a person who would unconditionally support you with a proper advice.


He has repeatedly proved that he has a strong will and courage. The last life challenge didn’t break him, but on the contrary - motivated him to turn that obstacles into his strength and source of health - physically and emotionally.


He is Hristo Telenchev or as friends call him "The cyclist" - devoted to his family son, brother, husband and father; a true friend; a passionate cyclist who found support and cohesion in his teammates; an economics and trade professional, inspiring his team with his enthusiasm and workaholism; a man with a huge and generous heart.



What is your favorite quote?

What did you do to change what you don’t like?

What is the story behind your favourite quote?


It all started 6 years ago when I was 33 years old. I had a doctor’s appointment and the diagnosis that my doctor made was a metabolic syndrome with a risk of entering type II diabetes.

At that moment I could hear his voice, I was listening to his words, but they seemed to pass me by, as if they were not meant for me. It couldn't happen to me. I'm a person who is afraid of injections - I couldn't imagine and accept that I would have to inject myself with insulin for the rest of my life.

The last thing I remember from the conversation with the doctor was: "Try to walk 20 minutes per day, you can’t do more! Start taking the prescribed pills!”


Well, that has already made me angry. But it also motivated me to prove that statement wrong.

I made a commitment to myself to prove that when a person begins to control the food they eat, they can control every aspect of their life.

At that time I was 1.75 cm tall and I weighed 110 kg. I knew that I should start following a diet regime and sports training programme immediately. Now! I could not expect anything to change without my own efforts and taking quick steps to make that change happen.

All I needed was a strong will, self-discipline and a plan to follow strictly. So I made one.


From the next day, my menu for the day consisted of: breakfast - a small amount of nuts or a small bowl of muesli and fruits, lunch - a small size steak and in the evening - a small salad.

The sport I was practising at the time was football twice a week. But that was not enough. That’s why I bought a spinner bike and I started training with very high intensity. I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning and I did one-hour workouts. During my lunch time – I did another hour of spinner training.


Of course, the obstacles came up in no time. During one of my football training sessions, I severely injured my knee. And then I had to make a decision whether to have a surgery immediately that would leave me bedridden and without sports on the spinner bike for 6 months, at least or listen to my inner voice and trust my body to recover on its own, but to continue training with the spinner bike… somehow.

Guess what I chose!?!

The crutch I used to help myself walk became my auxiliary leg, this is how I was spinning the bike. But the most important was that I didn't stop training.


And so until the spring, when I bought my first road mountain bike - Drag. It was time to start training outdoors. I had lost enough weight. In the first year I had ridden 1000 km with my bike, I was happy and very proud of myself and I thought it was a great achievement.


Gradually, I started to set higher goals because I knew I was fast on the bike.

I learned about a race I wanted to take part in, but they wouldn't let me in because I wasn’t a licensed racer.

This motivated me to set my next goal: to start looking for and find a suitable cycling club to join. And I found it. I was happy to become a member and part of the team and riders of Vereya Club, Stara Zagora.

I still have fun remembering the first test that my new teammates gave me as a "welcome". This was a huge challenge for me, because they were all among the most famous top cyclists in Bulgaria. This was the first route where we had to ride together. Start - given… but then I just fell behind everyone else and it was difficult to reach them. At the second start and our second route together I got leg cramps.


But these small failures didn’t stop me, on the contrary, it motivated me even more.

I had to figure out what I was doing wrong and what I was missing, what I could improve in my cycling technique and skills.

So I continued with even more intense training. Gradually, I got closer to the boys from the Riders club, and there I met true friends.

I found my mentor among them and he gave me valuable advice and guidance to follow in my training.

He really gave me a chance, believed in me, supported me wholeheartedly, prepared me for the upcoming competitions and most importantly - allowed me to feel part of the united Club community and become a valuable member of the team.

He prepared my training regime and programs, together we did many alpine hikes and routes. He was the man who assembled the bike, with which I won my first medal.


So, taking part in numerous competitions, some of which I couldn’t even finish, I gradually reached a stage where I was among the Top 10 cycling competitors. This definitely gave me confidence and motivation to continue developing and improving my cycling skills and technique.

I felt great satisfaction from the work and efforts I put in cycling and the results I achieved.

For 3 years and with a lot of perseverance I managed to reach and maintain a healthy weight of 75 kg; to ride 13-15000 thousand km per year with my bike; to participate in numerous cycling competitions and tournaments that took place in the country; I received a license of Masters category from the Bulgarian Cycling Federation.


Of course, the obstacles in life never end. 2020 was a confusing and crazy year for all of us, there were almost no competitions in which to participate.

But I did not despair, I did not give up.


The decision was clear - now was the time to not only participate in competitions, but also to become the organise of the first cycling tournament in my hometown. It was a great opportunity to organise the event and allow cyclists from all over the country to participate and show their cycling skills. The tournament became a real holiday in our town, we had more than 150 participants in different categories.

And the most valuable thing was the joy it gave to all the cyclists, but especially to the children - to be participants in the race and to experience the thrill of being champions.

I also won a medal in the tournament. Believe me, it was not easy.

My mentor and I had discussed the tactics and worked out a winning strategy to follow. Although he was ill and had a temperature of 38 degrees, he came to the tournament to support me in the race. It was a precious gesture that meant a lot to me.

On one of the last decisive laps, when it was hard to hear and see what was going on around me and my focus was entirely on the track, I heard his voice:

“Now! Now! Now!” His words were the catalyst I needed at that crucial moment.


It's the same in life, you have to say to yourself,

"The time is now. The moment when you have to harness all your will and determination, to demand a change and make a clear plan for its realisation.

And the most important thing is to start following the steps - initially small ones, timid ones, and later bigger ones, to start acting not tomorrow, but today, NOW.

And then you will know that you have done something to change what you don’t like in your life!

My next goal is set, and yours?



Who is Hristo Telenchev?


I’m a human.

A man, just like everyone else, who has his own struggles and life obstacles that he has to overcome.

A person on a mission to walk my own path, to believe in myself and increase my self-confidence, to continue challenging myself and set higher goals.

And the reward is the satisfaction of keeping my body and mind healthy, making my dreams come true and the inspiration I can pay forward to someone else in need.



What is your message and legacy to the World?


Sport is the answer!

Sports and movement in every possible form. Sport disciplines the body and mind, hardens the will, helps to get rid of toxicity from your thoughts, feelings or overcome unpleasant experiences. You feel purified, peaceful, full of positive energy in order to enjoy life. It strengthens your will, the will of a champion to cope with any life challenge.


Sport is health - physical, emotional, intellectual. A remedy that always helps changing what you don't like.

Enjoy the ride!




Special thanks to our English editor Antonia Panayotova.


Here is the story in Bulgarian language:

https://hristinatelencheva.wixsite.com/website-1/post/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8F-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%88%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD






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