Sven Johansson

Sven Johansson was one of the best cyclists of his day, winning seven national titles at the Swedish championships during his career. After working as an errand boy, sales assistant, and bicycle salesman Johansson began competitive cycling in the early 1930s. His talent was soon noticed, with him earning a place on the Swedish Olympic team for the road race at the 1936 Berlin Games. At the Olympics, however, he was unable to finish the race due to several mechanical issues.

Johansson then joined the Hammarby IF cycling team in Stockholm, becoming the Swedish individual time trial champion in 1937. He defended his title the following year, also winning the road race. In 1941 he repeated the feat of once again winning both the time trial and the road race at the same championships, before winning two further time trial titles (1947, 1950).

To add to his national titles Johansson also had incredible success at the most famous one-day races in Sweden at the time. He had four victories at the Mälaren Runt (1938, 1940, 1943, 1946), four at the Skandisloppet (1940, 1948, 1951–52), and three at the Solleröloppet (1943–44, 1947). Along with his one-day wins, Johansson also won the Tour of Sweden three consecutive times from 1940 to 1942.