Jānis Liljē

A few days ago, together with Modris Dievkociņš — a cycling sports enthusiast and former member of the officials’ panel — we visited Jānis Liljē, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday this year.

Jānis began his sporting career with the team of the Riga Bicycle Factory “Sarkanā Zvaigzne” (previously known as the G. Ērenpreiss Bicycle Factory), which was one of the cradles of Latvian cycling. Later, he represented the sports association “Daugava” and, in 1960, won the Latvian championship title in cyclo-cross.

In addition to his achievements as an athlete, Jānis also qualified as a coach and for many years (as part of the sports association “Darba Rezerves”) trained the Latvian republic junior national team, laying the foundations for future generations of athletes. At least 15 Latvian republic champions in junior and senior cycling were trained under his guidance. For his contribution to sport, he was also awarded the title of Master of Sport.

Jānis’s story is not only about medals — it is about a deep love for sport, long-term work with youth, and the preservation of memories that today are becoming increasingly important.

During the visit, Jānis donated 70 historical photographs to our association, reflecting both his personal journey in sport and the atmosphere of that era. A selection of these valuable images is included in this article.

📸 Photo Gallery

Please note: copying, reproducing, or any other use of the published photographs without the written permission of the Cycling Sports Association “Latvello” is strictly prohibited.

Comments, memories, and viewer discussions related to these photographs can be viewed on the association’s official Facebook page under the respective post.