On The Pegs July 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 7 | Page 120

On The Pegs 120
front of his antagonist Johansson, picking up yet another eight points. The hardest
Grand Prix during the 1962 season was no doubt the Czech GP in Prérov outside
Prague, where everybody was exhausted after the two heats. “It just proved that
my hard training paid off well,” Tibblin told us. However, he didn’t score since the
frame broke when Rolf was leading the field. After half the season he was leading
the championship with 30 points.
July 1st and it was time for Hawkstone Park in England. On these classic grounds
the sixth round was arranged by the ACU, the British motorcycle union. Rolf Tibblin
was back in top shape and outmanoeuvred the entire home elite, winning with
a huge margin. Four weeks later - in Lichtenvoorde, Holland - he shared victory
with Gunnar Johansson. They had exactly the same time, to the second, and both
received seven points each. It hadn’t happened before and it would not happen
again! The scores after seven rounds: Tibblin 45 points, Johansson 36.
Race fans that have experienced the Belgian Namur track at the Citadelle know
that it is a very special and demanding event. On top of it all, this time it rained
heavily, making the track slippery and difficult to master. Despite the weather,
25,000 enthusiasts came to watch Tibblin take two second places in the heats. He
had a crash in the second leg and had to regain positions after being last in the
field. Coming second under these circumstances was a true achievement, probably
the major ride of the entire 1962 season.
“In Ettelbruck I had to sit in the paddock and watch everybody else racing,” Tibblin
remembered with a smile on his face. “I had broken down and only needed
to see if Johansson won or not. As he didn’t, my first world championship title was
in the bag. I could hardly believe it. It was a sensational feeling winning the 500cc
circus for the first time. I remember I couldn’t sleep for days. As in 1959 when I
became European 250 champion, I walked around the city for hours, just enjoying
the feeling. It’s hard to explain, but it was the greatest moment in my life. I was also
victorious in the national championship winning four out of five rounds at home. It
was truly a fantastic season for me and my Husqvarna.”
Rolf Tibblin won half of the Grand Prix events during 1962. In seven out of 10 races,
Tibblin finished in the top two podium positions, which surely was a new record
in MX. To make it even better, Rolf participated in the successful team at the Moto
Cross des Nations in Wohlen, Switzerland. The Swedes were so dominating that the
four of them crossed the finish line together, holding hands. Husqvarna contributed
to this enormous success and Rolf would go on to win yet another 500cc world title
in the coming season of 1963.
It was “Hammer Time” for Tibblin, and Husqvarna! n