Reunited: Teammates Ride Again, After 53 Years

Leif Thorne-Thomsen ’63 had grown up as a bicycle racer in Illinois and “couldn’t stay away from the bike” when he came to Princeton. He landed a job at Kopp’s Cycle and recruited other students for a cycling team. By senior year, his small crew of devoted riders had become a powerhouse: Princeton swept the top four spots at the national collegiate championships in New Haven, Conn. The team was selected to represent the United States at the World Championships in Liège, Belgium. 

Mikk Hinnov ’66 said the racers built lasting bonds on the road. “When we were out training together, you’re riding very fast, very close together, going around turns, going over bumps,” he said. “We have each other’s bodily health in our hands. You just develop this trust in each other that I think has carried right on through to today.” 

Oscar Swan ’64 kept a picture of the foursome from the summer of 1963, taken during a training stint in England. When the teammates reunited for the cycling team’s 30-mile alumni ride this year, PAW recreated the photo outside Dillon Gym. Pictured from left are three-time Olympian John Allis ’65, Thorne-Thomsen, Swan, and Hinnov.