Henry Peter Christian HANSEN

Henry Hansen was 1928 Olympic champion in the individual and team road race. The British and Italians accused him of cheating by having used a shorter route because his time in the road time trial was eight minutes better than that of second-place Frank Southall, but these allegations were never sustained. He was also World Champion in the road race in his home country in 1931, again six minutes faster than second placed Italian Giuseppe Olmo. At three other World Championships Hansen placed in the top 10. Hansen was also successful in the Nordic Championships, winning the individual road race three consecutive times in 1925-1927 and in 1929, also helping Denmark win the team title in 1926 and 1929. Nationally, he won the Danish title in the individual road race four times – 1921, 1923, 1925, and 1930. In 1937 and 1938 he competed professionally without major success. After his active career he held various leadership positions in Danish cycling, including serving as Chairman of the Danish Cycling Union from 1967-71.