Not all Swedes have the cold character attributed to them. Former professional Jonas Ljungblad was greatly influenced by Italian currents, so much so that he seems naturalized in our country. 

«As a boy I was passionate about handball, but then, seeing my brother Magnus racing on a bicycle, I wanted to try changing sports. Encouraging results came quickly: as a junior I won the time trial at the national championships and I also did well on the road and was contacted by Team Crescent, an American bicycle brand later produced in Sweden. The 2000-2001 biennium was full of satisfactions, so much so that the doors to professionalism opened for me thanks to Ivano Fanini, the cycling manager I respect most and who launched me. Like many of my countrymen, I moved to race for an Italian team. As soon as I arrived in Lucca I met team manager Roberto Pelliconi: there was an instant understanding between us, even in our tastes... He always had licorice in his car, which I've always liked».

You arrived in Italy at 21 years old.
«Exactly, I remember Lucca and then Capannori where Amore e Vita is still based. A magnificent area where I spent wonderful years with my partner Elin, whom I married in 2010. I quickly learned the Italian language, I was young, full of enthusiasm and I had the woman of my life by my side. I aimed to follow in the footsteps of my countryman Glenn Magnusson who, like me, was born cyclistically with Ivano Fanini's team, managing to win stages at the Giro d'Italia. Fanini's teams have always been ideal for young riders»,

In 2002 in Fanini colors, Jonas Ljungblad's first professional victory came at the Herald Sun Tour, the oldest stage race in Australia, whose first edition took place in 1952. 

«In that first participation I found myself competing for the general classification and finished in third place behind winner Baden Cooke and Alan Iacuone. I scored by winning the sprint of a small group in the third stage from Bacchus Marsh to Buninyong on October 19. An unforgettable moment of my career. Your first professional victory is never forgotten».

In 2003 the return to Sweden to race with Bianchi-Scandinavia.
«I was a bit homesick for my country, but above all, being a fast paced rider, I didn't see many races suited to me in Italy. But then I wanted to return to Amore e Vita to try to win the Sun Tour again and I succeeded in the 2004 edition, precisely in the seventh stage from Creswick to Daylesford. I took the leader's jersey from David McKenzie in the twelfth stage of the 13 scheduled, closing triumphantly at the end of the last stage in Traralgon».

2004 was Jonas's magical year when he also won the fourth stage of the Tour of Slovenia, the fifth and seventh stages of the Tour of Queensland which also saw him win the overall classification. In 2005 Jonas continued to wear the colors of Amore e Vita winning four more races: the Tour de Vendée, the Tour du Lac Léman, the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic but above all he added another national title to Ivano Fanini's trophy cabinet by winning the road race. 

In the very long history of Ivano Fanini and his team, authentic discoverers of talent, Jonas Ljungblad, now 47 years old, also finds a place. In the course of his professional career he wore other jerseys without, however, managing to win consistently. In 2006 he won the third stage at the Tour of Luxembourg and in 2008 again the road race of the Swedish championship. His last success was in 2008 in P3 Transfer colors in the third stage of the Vuelta a León for a career that lasted until 2012 with his last season in Team Differdange. 
Once he hung up his bicycle in 2012, he was head coach of the Swedish national team from 2013 to 2016. 

For years now Jonas has worked as director of a Swedish company that deals with the sale and scrapping of bicycles. He has three children: Victor who plays handball, Jonas's old passion and he is also a coach, Alice who plays football and handball and Elsa who practices gymnastics and football. A family that loves sport with children to whom Jonas doesn't want to put any pressure but only guide them towards what will be their choices.