of 1951.

In Sweden was announced the longest and most prestigious cycling in the history of the Swedish sport! The riders had to conquer the distance of 1800 kilometers, starting in the northernmost city of the country - Haparanda and finish in the southernmost - Istad. More than a thousand athletes from different corners of the country wanted to participate in the race. The 66-year-old farmer Gustav Hakansson decided to participate. He was not a racer, he was a cyclist who loved long journeys.

But the selection was very strict and only 50 people were admitted to the race. One of the main conditions was the age of cyclists – not older than forty years. An elderly farmer’s request was treated as a whore. But Gustav was relentless.

Fifty athletes went to Haparanda by train. They were surrounded by coaches, doctors and mechanics. Before the race, the athletes were rested and full of strength. Living in the southernmost part of Sweden and having no money for the train, Gustav did not think for a long time. He sat on a bicycle and went north, overcoming more than 1,500 km of his course. The organizers simply didn’t believe this when Hakanson again asked them for permission to participate in the race. He replied, “Rest in your chair and take care of your health.”

Would it seem that a strange old man on a dirty bicycle could resist? The number of participants was not included and the number was not given. Then he painted his own and put it right above his clothes — a large round zero. And started on its own, a few minutes after the last driver.

Since Gustav was not included in the general count, he decided to drive according to his own rules and not stop for rest. And for the first time I slept for three hours on a bench in the center of a village only on the third day of the journey. Thus, since he drove at all without stopping, he immediately went into the leaders of the race.

Reporters wrote about it in newspapers. Soon all Sweden learned the story of this low old man with the number "zero" on his chest. One of the newspapers offered Gustav to keep a travel diary, which he gladly agreed to. More and more people learned about him. A few days later, the cyclist met crowds of enthusiastic people in virtually every settlement along the way of the race. In the newspapers he was nicknamed Stlfarfar (Stolfarfar) - the steel grandfather. This nickname was attached to Gustav for the rest of his life.

After 156 miles, police asked the driver to undergo a medical examination. The doctors split their hands — Gustav was in excellent physical shape and could really take part in the race on general grounds.

Gustav ran the race track in 6 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes. He finished 24 hours before the official leader of the race! At that time, he slept, in total, only ten hours! The steel grandfather would have come to Istad earlier. But a dozen kilometers before the finish with his bike occurred the only in almost 3000 kilometers of the road breakdown - he broke the camera. “There’s no time for repairs,” Hakanson decided and walked. On the bicycle he sat a couple of kilometers to Istad and crossed the finish line with the wheel dropped, moving on one wheel.

Thousands of people met Stolfarfarf at the finish. Gustav, filled with flowers, was raised on his arms and brought triumphantly to the city center, where everyone was eager to take a photo with him. The next day after the race ended, he was awarded an audition with the Swedish King Gustav VI, who wished to meet the winner personally. But even now the judges did not recognize the victory of Hutchinson. After all, to give the first place in the race to this strange old man is a shame and a scandal! But that was no longer important.

The whole country recognized him as the winner. People sent Stohlfarfarfar hundreds of gifts, including money, knowing that Gustav had not received the official race prize. It was a popular protest against the official sport. Among the hundreds of letters that the Swedes wrote to Hutchinson in those days, there were the following words: “I am your age, dear Gustav Hutchinson, and I was an old man until I knew about you. But now, thanks to you, I feel young, healthy and happy again. May God bless you!”