Swedish National Championships - CN

Sweden , June 24-29, 2008

National Champs summary 2007 results The program

The program

Day 1 - June 24: Time Trials: Junior women,
Day 2 - June 25: Time Trials: Elite Men, Women, Juniors,
Day 3 - June 26: Road races: Junior women,
Day 4 - June 28: Road races: Elite Women, Junior Men,
Day 5 - June 29: Road races: Elite Men,

Ljungqvist, Ljungskog favourite Swedes

With defending champion Magnus Bäckstedt (Garmin Chipotle) concentrating on the Tour de France Marcus Ljungqvist, Gustaf Larsson (both Saxo Bank – CSC), Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) and veteran Niklas Axelsson (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni) are the favourites for the Swedish Championships.

Larsson, Lövkvist and Axelsson have excellent international results this season but with the advantage of home roads plus a big team, in numbers, the tip goes to CSC's super domestique and championship specialist Ljungqvist, here representing organizing club Falu CK (The pros ride for their clubs in the championships). Lövkvist also rides for a big club team, Team Cykelcity, that dominates the national scene and might be Ljungqvists toughest opponent.

In the women's race Susanne Ljungskog (Menikini - Selle Italia) is the favourite as usual. Last year's race was an all-against-one which ended with an early break that Ljungskog didn't want to chase down all by herself. Unknown Angelica Agerteg won the race in her debut season. This season illness, crashes and a full time teaching job has limited her progression, and being somewhat more known, Agerteg is not very likely to repeat last year's success.

Ljungskog and her main opponents Emma Johansson (AA-Drink Cycling Team) and Sara Mustonen (Team Cmax Dila) are alone in their respective clubs while Marie Lindberg (Nürnberger)) and Catrine Josefsson (Bizkaia – Durango) ride together in Alriksson Cycling Team with six other riders. Karin Aune (Uniqa) and Emilia Fahlin (Columbia) ride together, just the two of them, in Örebrocylisterna. If it comes down to a bunch sprint there will be an exciting duel between Fahlin and Monica Holler (Bigla). Otherwise Emma Johansson, who won the TT by a minute and a half, is the one to give Ljungskog, who skipped the TT, most problems in restoring the order in Swedish women's cycling.