HISTORY
Harry Hannus, the most successful Finnish racing cyclist ever
The Akilles of Porvoo started racing cycling in Finland among the first clubs as early as 1902. For comparison: A tour of France was organized for the first time in 1903.
Since the district championship achieved in 1912, Akilles in Porvoo has piled up its position as Finland's leading cycling club.
Akilles cyclists have represented Finland at several World Championships and Olympic Games, and the club runs Finland's most important international cycling event, the Porvoon Ajo. The event, which has grown into a Cycling Super Weekend, is held annually on the first weekend in June.
The accompanying and pre-race of the super weekend is the Fellmanin Ajo, driven in Lahti organized by TWD on Friday. In Porvoo, the super weekend will start on Saturday with a memorial ride by Akilles legend Ole Wackström. The super weekend culminates in the legendary Porvoon Ajo (Ride of Porvoo), whose coveted attachment award to the Hellracer trophy every Finnish driver would like to engrave their name on.
Harry Hannus, a great cycling hero from Porvoo's Akilles, has the most attachments in the Hellracer trophy, with a total of nine wins. The founder of the competition, Akilles Raul Hellberg, won the race seven times back 1920´and 30´s..
Porvoon Akilles, one of the oldest and best-known cycling clubs in our country, has produced dozens of riders to the top.
The big winners of the Porvoon Ajo are also Greem Team´s current head coach Kari Myyryläinen and AKilles bred, Liguigas and Sky teams professional driver and the current GM, general manager of the World Tour professional cycling team Israel Startup Nation, Kjell Carlström. Both has an glorious six wins.
Today, under the leadership of head coach Kari Myyryläinen, who became a member of Akilles Cycling Club at the beginning of the 21st century, the club is investing heavily in developing young riders and realizing their own dreams, which are almost invariably making cycling their own profession. Through the development of young riders, we want to become the leading Finnish cycling team by 2022.
We want to build the Akilles Green Team as a development platform for Finnish young cyclists for international competitions. At the same time, we want to drive with a strong value base for the climate. We invite young talent to a purposeful internship toward success.
Next, an overview of how success and legendary reputation was created through millions of miles driven.
Establishment of the Akilles Cycling Department in 1911
On October 17, 1902, Borgå Nykterhetsvänners Gymnastikklubb, BNV's Gymnastikklubb, was founded. The name of the club was changed to Gymnastik- och idrottsföreningen Akilles in 1906 and Akilles became an independent association. Weightlifting and wrestling were the number one sports of the early days, football was included in the club’s program in 1907.
In 1911, cycling joined the Akilles program. The Akilles cycling team achieved the district championship the very next year in 1912, in honor of which they went right to the photo studio. In 1917 chess and in 1920 the Akilles "hockeyklubb" was founded, the forerunner of the hockey division. Boxing became the first club in Finland in 1923.
The first Porvoon Ajo
The first Porvoon Ajo in history was run in 1926. Porvoon Ajo was born at the same time as the organization of European one-day classics.
Raul Hellberg, the first cycling legend of Porvoo Akilles, took the initiative to organize the Porvoon Ajo. Raul Hellberg was also the winner of the first Porvoon Ajo.
The competition route was 120 km long, it was driven from Porvoo to Helsinki and back. The departure was from Porvoo Square. From the start, the car of the award judges was followed all the way to the locomotive garage. It was then shot along the Helsinki highway to Helsinki's Old Town, from there along Hämeentie to Siltasaarenkatu, and further along Unioninkatu to the current Helsinki Cathedral, the so-called to the Great Church, then to St. Nicholas Church. At the corner of Senate Square, a full turn was made back to Porvoo. The return took place the same way to Porvoo. In Porvoo, the end of the race was driven to Jokikatu, Nikolainkatu, Uusi Vuorikatu and Aleksanterinkatu to the sports field, where there was a finish line.
Raul Hellberg participated in the 1928 Olympics and placed tenth in road racing. Akilles cyclists Raul Hellberg and Helmer Munter took part in the 1931 World Cycling Championships in Copenhagen. Hellberg finished nicely in eighth and Munter was 21.
The 1932 Olympics were held in Los Angeles. Hellberg raffled off, but the arduous voyage and crossing the mainland by train was too much for a successful businessman to spend time on, and he did not set off. Raul Hellberg, who is in good shape, celebrated the Nordic Road Championship at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium the same year, and he would no doubt have had the opportunity to fight even for a gold medal in road driving. Gold was taken by Italian Attilio Pavesi. Campione Pavesi was known ten years ago as the world’s oldest surviving racing cyclist. He died at the age of one hundred in 2011. The bronze was taken by Bernhard Britz of Sweden, whom Hellberg had won several times.
The first Porvoon Ajo in history was run in 1926. The original route ran from Porvoo to the corner of Helsinki Senate Square and back.
Raul Hellberg's reign in the Porvoon Ajo
The founder of the competition, Raul Hellberg, a top cyclist and businessman of his time, won the Porvoon Ajo in its early years a total of seven times in 1926-1930, 1932 and 1934. From the beginning, the Porvoon Ajo was an international race. The first foreign winner was Nils Welin from Sweden in 1931.
The late thirties and 40s were largely a celebration of foreign drivers. Arne Berg from Sweden won in 1935-36 and 1938, the German Hans Preiskeit took the victory in 1939-1940. In 1941, before the start of the Continuation War, the victory went again to Sweden, when Åke Seyffarth won.
Raul Hellberg (15.12.1900-30.10.1985) from Porvoo succeeded as a racing cyclist and businessman. He won 24 Finnish championships, two Nordic championships and represented Finland at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.
Raul Hellberg later founded the name-bearing sports movement in 1926, and held a number of business and organizational leadership positions, receiving the title of Commercial Counselor in 1964.
The Continuation War suspended the organization of the Porvoon Ajo
During the difficult years of the Continuation War, there was a three-year break in Porvoon Ajo's arrangements. There was no competition in 1942-1944.
After the war, the reputation of the rivet and many young people, e.g. the great hero of Ole Wackström, who later himself became the legend of Akilles, became Albin Andersson, who completely lost his second hand in the war, who showed that in tough competitions one can succeed and win even with one hand.
Ole Wackström got excited about cycling thanks to the miracles of Andersson, who represented Akilles. Albin Andersson was a promising driver, but failed to show off his talents in international competitions because the best years hit the wartime. A fragment of a grenade sliced ​​across the forearm of Andersson's hand in the Winter War in February 1940. The Porvoo resident did not give up.
He continued his career on a bike with a handlebars tuned for one-handed control. And a miracle happened: Albin Andersson, wounded in the war, won the Finnish Road Championship after the war. Andersson had made a decisive detachment right at the start of the race, pulling his own pace all the way. He knew that with one hand he would not be able to win. In 1944, the war-disabled Andersson surprised both experts and the public by winning the 75-kilometer Finnish road championship. Returning to cycling disabled and with his Finnish championship, he became a great hero of his time and a memorable cycling legend.
From 1945 onwards, the late 1940s and early fifties were a feast for Swedish drivers. The victory of the Swedes was interrupted in just two years by Achilles Thorvald Högström, who took the victories in 1948 and 1950.
In 1948, cyclist Thorvald Högström took part in the London Olympics but had to stop on the road. In the four-kilometer team race, he placed eleventh in the Finnish team. The following year, Thorwald Högström took part in a road race at the Copenhagen World Championships, but had to stop there as well.
Ruben Forsblom drove the Porvoo Ajo route record in the 1950s
In 1950, cyclist Nils Henriksson took part in the World Championships in Moorslede, Belgium, but had to be suspended.
At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, cyclist Ruben Forsblom started a road race, but had to stop. Nils Henriksson, on the other hand, took part in the 4 km track race and placed fifteenth.
Cyclist Nils Henriksson took part in the Helsinki 1952 Olympics 4-kilometer team race, finishing 15th. At the Luxembourg World Championships in the same year, the misfortune of cyclist Nils Henriksson continued when he had to be suspended.
At the 1953 Lugano World Championships, cyclists Ruben Forsblom and Nils Henriksson took part in a road trip. Forsblom finished in 47th place and Henriksson stopped. In 1954, Forsblom JOI recorded the record time of the original route of Porvoo.
The 1956 World Championships were held again in Copenhagen, where Nils Henriksson had to interrupt road driving.
Ole Wackström competed in the Zandvoort World Championships in the Netherlands in 1959, but had to be suspended. At next year's World Championships in Sachsering, Germany, Ole Wackström was again involved and placed 62nd on the road and 25th on the 4-kilometer track.
60s The time of the Wackström and Karhu brothers
In 1961, cyclist Kaj-Uno Johansson placed in the 69th road race at the World Championships in Bern, Switzerland.
At the 1967 Heerlen World Championships in the Netherlands, cyclists Ole Wackström, Yngve Tallsten, Eero Karhu took part in the race but did not finish. Eero Karhu and Ole Wackström suspended the road race. However, Ole Wackström was 21st in the four km race. In addition, Yngve Tallsten and Ole Wackströn were also involved in the pair tempo.
At the 1968 Mexican Olympics, Ole Wackström placed in the 57th road race and was 16.4 km on the track. In the Finnish team, Wackström placed 19th in the team pace.
In the Porvoo Ajo
The golden age of Akilles hero Harry Hannus
During the next thirty years, in 1953-1983, the victories came to Finland, except for one year, only in 1956 the victory went to Sweden. This period also coincides with the golden age of Achilles' drivers in the history of Porvoo Ajo.
The winners of the Achilles were: 1953 Nisse Henriksson, 1954 Ruben Forsblom, 1955 Juhani Marttinen, 1962 Kaj-Uno Johansson, 1963 Eero Karhu, 1967 Pertti Karhu, 1968 Ole Wackström. Then followed the reign of Harry Hannus, the all-time winner of Porvoo Ajo: 1972 Harry Hannus, 1973 Harry Hannus, 1974 Harry Hannus, 1975 Harry Hannus, 1976 Harry Hannus, 1977 Harry Hannus, 1978 Harry Hannus, 1979 Patrik Wackström, Achilles and again 1980 Harry Hannus , and still in 1983 Harry Hannus. Hannus won the Porvoo Race a total of nine times.
70s - The name of the decade was Harry Hannus
Harry Hannus competed in the 1970 road race at the Leicester World Championships in the UK. Hannus was unfortunately disqualified. In the team pace, the Finnish team finished fifteenth.
In 1971, at the Mendrision World Championships in Switzerland, Harry Hannus finished twelfth in the road race and Ole Wackström was 89. In the team pace, they placed tenth in the Finnish team.
In 1971, the name of the club was changed to Borgå Akilles-Porvoo Akilles.
Ole Wackström and Harry Hannus competed in the Munich Olympics in 1972. Both had to suspend the road race. In the team pace, Finland's ranking was 18th.
In 1973, Harry Hannus finished nicely sixth in the road race at the World Championships in San Sebastian, Spain. In addition, he placed in the 14.4 km track, Lasse Munther had to suspend the road in the Junior European Championships
After his cycling career, Olesta became a great coach, whose encouraging and paternal patience led him to train properly and got many young people excited about cycling. From his protective paths grew several authors and women to the top of Finnish cycling.
I am the first trainees were his own son Patrick and Sixten, both of which competed in the World Championships as well as the olympiatasollo. Patrick, who had hard books, won e.g. Porvoon Ajo in 1978. Sixten was dramatically baked by the Nordic champion decades afterwards, when he was discreeted as a clear winner after the ventilation before the finish line.
Be the coach of the Finnish team at several World Championships and Olympics. Olella had a number of "disciples", for which he shared its extensive experience and great expertise in the sport saralla.Olen trainees included. Iiris Karhu, Marek Salermo, Kimmo Karhu, Päivi Karhu. He also served as a coach for SFI’s cycling division for many years.
Munich. The following year, 1974, Harry Hannus was in the 21st road race and the 17.4 km track at the Montreal World Championships. Magnus Mansner and Lasse Munther participated in the Junior European Championships in Warsaw.
The 1975 World Championships were held in Liege. Harry Hannus interrupted the road run and finished 13th. 4 km by track.
At the European Junior Championships, Finland was represented by the Akilles team Patrick Wackström, Magnus Mansner, Frank Högström and Peter Backman: The team's ranking was at the 21st team pace.
At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Harry Hannus placed 20th in the road race and 12.4 km in the track. Patrick Wackström placed in the 12th road race and the 20.3 km track in the Junior European Championships in Goik, the Netherlands.
Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström and Magnus Mansner participated in the 1977 World Championships in San Cristobal, Venezuela. Hannus was in a freezing condition at the time. He withstood the hot air excellently and was in his element in the mountainous terrain. Of the four who had fled the main group, Hannus missed one of the climbs when the only weak moment of the race came to an end. However, Hannus picked up and reached those who had been on the run for almost minutes. A few more miles to the trip would make him a baked world champion. However, Hannus finished well in fourth place on the road and was 13th on the 4 km km. Wackström and Mansner suspended the road. Patrick Wackström was 19.1 km on the track. In the four-kilometer team race, the Finnish team, Harry Hannus and Patrick Wackström came in 13th.
At the 1978 World Championships in Nuremberg and Munich, Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström and Sixten Wackström were as follows: Harry Hannus finished 13th in the road race and 12th in the road pair pace together with Patrick. Patrick Wackström finished 89th in the road race and sixteenth in his four-kilometer team race with his brother Sixten. blev 89 . Sixten Wackström was also on the 24th kilometer track.
In the same year, at the Junior World Championships, Sixten Wackström finished well in the 7th road race, fifth in the 3-kilometer track, and the 12-kilometer track in New York, USA.
At the 1979 World Championships in Valkenburg, the Netherlands, Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström, Sixten Wackström and Magnus Mansner fought both on the road and on the track. Harry Hannu was 15th and Magnus Mansner 85th. In the team pace, the Finnish team Harry Hannus, Patrick and Sixten Wackström placed 15th.
1980-1989 - Hannus, Wackström and Magnus Mansner
Achilles Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström and Sixten Wackström, confirmed by Tampere company Kari Puisto, participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympics with Ole Wackström as their coach. The result was tough on the road in team driving, as Moscow came in sixth. It is still the best team driving ranking in Finnish cycling history. Hannus placed in the 12th road race, Sixten Wackström had to be suspended. In the team tempo, Hannus and Wackström's brothers were seventh. In the four-mile tat run, Sixten was 11th T.
At the Nordic Championships, Sixten Wackström won gold in personal road racing in 1980 and in the 4,000-meter personal and team chase in 1984. At the 1980 Road Race Awards, he initially won a silver medal as he removed that is, in that case, second. This was the shocking and unjust scandal of its time. The great joy of victory changed to bitter silver. In the end, the court won when the championship was returned to him, but only in 2000.
The following year, in 1981, Achilles Patrick Wackström, Sixten Wackström and Magnus Mansner took part in the World Championships in Prague and Brno. At the team pace, they formed the Finnish team and placed 17. Sixten 17 and Patrick W 24 in the four-kilometer track.
The 1982 World Cup was held in Leicester. Harry Hannus finished in the road race 36, Patrick Wackström suspended The Finnish team Hannus and Patrick Wackström had to suspend at the team pace. In the 4 km track, Sixten Wackström was 28. In the four-kilometer team race. The Finnish team was made up of brothers Patrick and Sixten and took 16th place.
In 1983, cyclists Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström, Sixten Wackström and Iris Karhu took part in the World Championships in Zurich and Alterheim, Switzerland. At the team pace, the Finnish team Harry Hannus, Patrick and Sixten Wackström were in 11th place. Hannus and the Wackström brothers had to suspend the road race.
Harry Hannus, Patrick Wackström and Sixten Wackström, a trio familiar to Akilles cyclists, took part in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Harry Hannus was 31st in the road race and Patrick Wackström was 38th. At the team pace, the Akilles trio was 13. Sixten Wackström was 4th in the 4 km track race.
Patrick Wackström participated in the World Championships in Bassano and Giavera del Montello in Italy in 1985. In the team pace, the Finnish team and Patrick placed 19th. Patrick had to suspend the road race. In the same competition, Iiris Karhu placed 65th in the women's road race. Kimmo Karhu, on the other hand, participated in the Junior World Championships in Stuttgart and placed 74th in the road race.
In 1986, Kimmo Karhu participated in the Junior World Championships in Morocco and was 101 on the road.
The big winners, Kari Myyryläinen and Kjell Carlström
time in the Porvoo Ajo
In 1984, Sweden returned to victory when Erik Nyholmer took the win. The wins of 1986 and 1987 also went to Sweden, with Peter Jonsson taking the wins.
Young Kari Myyryläinen took the first of his six victories in 1985. Myyryläinen also won in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995 and 1996. Achilles have not been seen among the winners since 1983, made by Kjell Carlström in 1998 in TuUL's shirt, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009 and 2011. At that time, Carlström represented the recent Finnish power team TWD-Länken. Achilles was raised by Oscar Stenström, TuUL won in 1999 and Marek Salermo in 2005 and 2008.
Porvoo Driving Hellracer Award The unofficial Hall of Fame for Finnish cycling
Just recently, the winners came steadily from Finland and abroad. From abroad, the victory was taken by Alexander Gingsjö, Sweden 2010, 2012 Janek Tombak, Estonia, 2015 Ben Carman, representing TWD-Länken, from Australia and 2017 winner Sebastiaan Pot, from the Netherlands. In 2018, the victory went to Estonia, won by Peeter Pung. In 2019, a winner from Porvoo was obtained for a long time and Achilles raised and Kerkoo's own son Joonas Henttala took a clear victory. Henttala represented IBD Cycling and his professional team Team Novonordisk.
Driving in Porvoo has a great long history celebrated in 2018 in the 90th anniversary of driving. In 2015, Patrick Wackström, winner of the Porvoo Race, Ari Långsjö, the chairman of Achilles Cycling, came up with the idea to develop Ajo's reputation with an award that engraved the names of all the winners from 1926 onwards. The project was done in silence for two and a half years. The goal was to create a unique award of international standard. In 2018, Driving in Porvoo was honored with a new magnificent award, in which all the old winners are engraved, and in which the future winners engrave their names. The prize was named after Raul Hellberg, the founder of the race, and the Hellracer Prize in honor of the Helracer bike made for him in the 1930s. The award was donated by Porvoon Energia Oy. Kjell Carlström, Patrick Wackström, Harry Hannus, Kari Myyryläinen and Ruben Forsblom, the winners of the Porvoo Race, had arrived at the announcement.
The award has been designed by Jyrki Karvinen from Tampere, who is a master goldsmith by training. He completed his master's degree in 1988 and his undergraduate degree in gemmology in 1986. Together with his wife, a mason, Arja Karvinen, he owns Tampereen Kulta- ja Jalokivipaja Oy. In addition to his own work, since 2007 he has worked as a full-time lesson teacher and responsible for the vocational degree of goldsmith at the Tyrvää handicraft and art industry school. Jyrki Karvinen has become known e.g. As the creator and maintainer of the original copy of the SM-League Canada Cup, the “Boy” after the championship. He also maintains and repairs the Finnish Hockey Museum's prize objects. Karvinen has also commissioned Kalle Kaihari to make a prize for the Tampere House singing competition, a model of Näsinneula.
Winners of the legendary, Finland's toughest international race in Porvoo - Borgåloppets Vinnare sedan 1926
. 1926 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1927 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1928 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1929 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1930 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1931 Nils Welin, SWE
. 1932 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1933 Thor Porko, GIF
. 1934 Raul Hellberg, Akilles
. 1935 Arne Berg, SWE
. 1936 Arne Berg, SWE
. 1937 Arne Koivisto, CK-36
. 1938 Arne Berg, SWE
. 1939 Hans Preiskeit, GER
. 1940 Hans Preiskeit, GER
. 1941 Åke Seyffarth, SWE
. 1942 Inga tävlingar under krigen
. 1943 Inga tävlingar under krigen
. 1944 Inga tävlingar under krigen
. 1945 Harry Jansson, SWE
. 1946 Rolf Bernheim, SWE
. 1947 Vilgot Bodin, SWE
. 1948 Thorvald Högström, Akilles
. 1949 Olle Wickholm, SWE
. 1950 Thorvald Högström, Akilles
. 1951 Bengt Fröbom, SWE
. 1952 Bengt Fröbom, SWE
. 1953 Nils Henriksson, Akilles
. 1954 Ruben Forsblom, Akilles
. 1955 Juhani Marttinen, Akilles
. 1956 Ronald Ström, SWE
. 1957 Aatos Sivén, IK-32
. 1958 Paul Nyman, PP
. 1959 Juhani Pirskanen, HV-V
. 1960 Unto Hautalahti, NivU
. 1961 Unto Hautalahti, NivU
. 1962 Kaj-Uno Johansson, Akilles
. 1963 Eero Karhu, Achilles
. 1964 Raimo Honkanen, TuUL
. 1965 Olavi Aalto, Master
. 1966 Raimo Honkanen, TuUL
. 1967 Pertti Karhu, Achilles
. 1968 Ole Wackström, Akilles
. 1969 Raimo Suikkanen, LaPy
. 1970 Mauno Uusivirta, TuUL
. 1971 Kalevi Eskelinen, PT
. 1972 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1973 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1974 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1975 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1976 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1977 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1978 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1979 Patrick Wackström, Akilles
. 1980 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1981 Risto Niemi, TaSi
. 1982 Risto Niemi, TaSi
. 1983 Harry Hannus, Akilles
. 1984 Erik Nyholmer, SWE
. 1985 Kari Myyryläinen, HyPo
. 1986 Peter Jonsson, SWE
. 1987 Peter Jonsson, SWE
. 1988 Kari Myyryläinen, Reynolds
. 1989 Kari Myyryläinen, LeGo
. 1990 Juha Kakko, RantaP
. 1991 Tapio Niemi, TY
. 1992 Kari Myyryläinen, HyPo
. 1993 Pasi Hotinen, HyPo
. 1994 Peep Mikli, EST
. 1995 Kari Myyryläinen, TuUL
. 1996 Kari Myyryläinen, TuUL
. 1997 Esa Skyttä, TuUL
. 1998 Kjell Carlström, TuUL
. 1999 Oscar Stenström, TuUL
. 2000 Andrus Aug, TuUL
. 2001 Kjell Carlström, IF Länken
. 2002 Kjell Carlström, TWL
. 2003 Kjell Carlström, TWL
. 2004 Jussi Veikkanen, TWL
. 2005 Marek Salermo, CCH
. 2006 Mika Nieminen, LaKa
. 2007 Mika Nieminen, LaKa
. 2008 Marek Salermo, Team Velosport
. 2009 Kjell Carlström, TWL / Liquigas
. 2010 Alexander Gingsjö, SWE
. 2011 Kjell Carlström, TWL / Sky Procycling
. 2012 Janek Tombak, EST
. 2013 Paavo Paajanen, TWL
. 2014 Matti Manninen, KoiI / Bliz Merida
. 2015 Ben Carman, TWL / AUS
. 2016 Samuel Pökälä, TWL
. 2017 Sebastiaan Pot, West-Frisia / NED
. 2018 Peeter Pung, Cycling Tartu / EST
. 2019 Joonas Henttala, IBD Cycling / Team Novonordisk
. 2020 Inga tävlingar under coronavirus-kriset
Ole Wackström,
new drivers
mentor
