SVERIGELOPPET // THE SWEDEN RACE - background and playground
Finally, women and men together!
This is the first year that women have ever been in their saddles next to the men at the starting line and that is something that the Swedish cycling brand Sigr firmly stands behind.
Collaboration with Sweden's most classic race feels like a win-win. We are really looking forward to being a part of this somewhat historic event. We've even decided to put our money where our mouth is and that's why we're sponsoring the mixed race team "Team Happy" - says Fredrik Petrusson, Sigr's Chief Designer.
The Sverigeloppet race is roughly half a Tour de France in length. This not-so-well-known race actually has a lot of history. Between the years 1951-1964 it was a yearly event which gave the elite athletes of the day a slightly different challenge than what they were used to. In 1965 it stopped abruptly and lay dormant for the next 54 years.
In 2017, with newly pumped tyres and a whole lot more carbon fibre and a slew of exotic metals, the race was back on. Bernt Johansson was behind this rebirth of the event - himself an Olympic cyclist in 1976. The time was right and the Swedish cycling community agreed - there was a need for a modern race to be run through the length of it's long, long nation again... and so it arose from the ashes.
We at Sigr are super excited about Sverigeloppet and have been looking for something to get us in the mood for the race during these long hot summer evenings.
If only there was a Sverigeloppet board game!
Well you guessed it, there is! (please excuse the cheesy segue ;)) In the early 60s, the race had it's own board game. We discovered it by chance while researching the race's history and decided to share this trivia gem with you. Here is the version of the game made by Bertil Almqvist at Aristospel, Sweden, ca 1960. Thanks to Anki Toner in Barcelona for the info and photos. He collects cycling board games. And he has a lot! If you're into board games then please visit his page. Anki does not sell games, he is an aficionado and collector.
Stay tuned and watch out for updates on our Sigr Instagram during the race, over the next week or so.
#sigrrevolution
#together
#sverigeloppet
Gosh you Swedes are so modern! Keep up the good work with Sweden Race. That is fantastic! Men and Women together is the new black 😉
I remember that race. The bikes did not look like the bikes today. They looked more like city bikes. Stålfarfar was quite famous. Good to see it is up and running again! Good Luck.
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