With the world championship triumph of Soderqvist in the under-23 world time trial in Kigali and the promising talents Reinhold and Wandel Swedish cycling is talking about itself again. Champions are not lacking: from the legendary Pettersson brothers (Gosta, Erik, Sture, Tomas) who won the world championship three times in the 100 km team time trial (Gosta won the 1971 Giro d'Italia) to Bernt Johansson (gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics in the amateur road race ahead of Giuseppe Martinelli), from Tommy Prim to Alf Segersall among the most notable Nordic riders who wore jerseys of major Italian clubs, Fiorella Mocassini, Magniflex, Bianchi Piaggio, Sammontana Bianchi.

Impossible not to mention Magnus Backstedt (Paris-Roubaix 2004) father of the elite Elynor and Zoe, Glenn Magnusson (Amore&Vita sprinter with 3 Giro stage wins), Erik Gustav Larsson (silver at Beijing 2008 Olympics and at the Mendrisio 2000 world time trial behind Cancellara), Niklas Axelsson (3rd at the 2000 Lombardy with Panaria Gaerne), Michael Olsson and Marcus Ljungvist who left their mark on our roads and internationally.

The feat of Jakob Soderqvist in Rwanda has revitalized the movement in Sweden that, in addition to the powerful athlete from Sundsvall, about to debut as a professional with Lidl Trek, presents some young talents who have already shown good results internationally. For example, Vilgot Reinhold from Holm, 17 years old, eighth in the junior world time trial and twelfth, also against the clock, at the European Championships in France. Reinhold, who won the historic U6 Cycle Tour stage race in his country and a stage of La Sportbreizh in France and is the national time trial vice-champion, is training with the Willebrord Wil Vooruit team, a historic Dutch association founded in 1946 based in Saint Willebrord, a commune known for its cycling community in Rucphen.Among the most notable riders launched by this team are Moreno Hofland, Dylan Groenewegen and Nicky Terpstra.
Another interesting rider is Elias Wandel from Uddevalla, 17 years old from the Svealand Cycling Team. His pedaling strength was evident in the world road race in Kigali where Wandel finished seventh. Elias, who lives with his father Claes and mother Katrine, also impressed in races in Switzerland (Ruebliland), Germany (LVM Saarland) and the Czech Republic (Peace Race), ranking among the best first-year juniors (he was born in 2008). Next year he will move to Belgium to further develop his skills with the JEGG SKIL DJR team.

To be followed with great interest in the next season, among those who have already shone and those waiting for the right opportunity to explode, Oliver Emanuelsson (Swedish Junior Time Trial Champion), Sebastian Grass (Swedish Junior Road Champion), Joel Borgstrom, Oscar Lovgren, Henry Deckner, Albert Belforth and Walter Hinn who beat Reinhold and Wandel in the Uppsala time trial championship. In Sweden, they confidently state that these guys will go far.

photo: Reinhold and Wandel