The bicycle company 'Storm' was founded in 1896. It numbered 180 members and the membership fee was 120 leva per year. The company had a capital of 25 000 leva. The municipality has granted a place for building the local bicycle track in the neighborhood called' 'The Swamp'. Thus its construction started the same year. The trustees of the company consisted of Dimitar D. Manzhdukov -President, Pencho Georgiev- Secretary - Treasurer, two captains and three members.

These details about the bicycle company were given to Vlassi Iliev in 1943 by its leaders that knew when their company was founded.

Taking into account that everything Vlassi Iliev has described in his book about the other 8 companies in the city is completely true, one can assume that the year 1896 of the establishing of the bicycle company - is accurate.

Probably the bicycle company which was founded in 1896 has existed for some time and has ceased its activities. This imposed to form a company again in 1907 which was mentioned in the protocol. In this protocol it was written 'and with minor modifications and additions the old constitution of the first Bike company was adopted' which confirmed the existence of the company by 1896.

Restored in 1907 the bicycle company was called 'Storm'. One of the main objectives of the company was to work on raising and improving the cycling sport in our town. The first bicycle races started at the time. Relying on the memories of the retired teacher - Marco Naydenov Lingorski who was born in 1894, bicycle races were held since 1908. The best players were the brothers Nikola and Vasil Penchovi Popov, as well as Vasil Ivanov Samichkov and Tsanko Iliev Taslakov.

During the Balkan War (1912 - 1913) as well as during the World War I (1914 - 1918) the Activity of the bicycle company completely died down because of the full military mobilization. One or two years after the expiration of the World War I, the activities of the bicycle company were gradually normalized. The contests started again and the bicycle company Storm stabilized. The flag of the company was small and it was possible to bear it on a bicycle. It was made with a thick green silk fabric and embroidered with a golden cord. On its upper end with golden threads is embroidered with large letters the motto of the cycling union 'Fatherland, Strength, Camaraderie'.

The sense and the strength lying in each of these three words were something like a law for each competitor and company member. In the middle of the flag is embroidered a competitor on his bike raising his hand holding a torch, and below it embroidered: Bike company Storm.There was not an elective standard-bearer was not. The flag was bestowed on the winner in the bicycle race and he had been wearing it until the next race when it was transmitted to the new winner.

During the period of 1920- 1930 presidents of Storm were Christo Vlaev - the Old and after that Dimitar Mandjoukov. Competitions and marches were also organized during the same period.

During the period of 1931-1944 the members of Storm were growing up. Thus, in 1934 there were 180 members and in 1944 they were above 1000. The competitive activities during this period were quite popular. There are a lot of pictures that can attest to this. Some of them were taken before the race and others were taken after the race, usually when the athletes have done a tour of the city streets.In the pictures you can see the great number of fans of the cycling sport who were following the competitions.

The bicycle track

Young people do not know that the small town of Troyan ever had a great bicycle track. It was situated in the same place where nowadays is the bus station and one of the biggest parking lots. This place was called 'the swamp'. It represented a large uncultivated land where the puddles were drying up only in a very dry summer. Vasil Iliev in his book 'The town of Troyan' issued in 1934, said that this place was a donation made by the Municipality in favour of the Bike Association 'Storm' and it would start building a bicycle track in 1934.

The bicycle track was built with company funds and the free labour of the cyclists - especially the young people. The contractor was Petko Penchev Stanchev - Gabrovetsat and the leader was Nicola Sapoundjiev - a construction technician and an active association leader.

The lap of the track was 250 m. Here the athletes used to train regularly and a lot of competitions took place. A few years later, in the southern part of the track were made wooden benches for spectators, and it was enclosed by a high wooden fence.

Troyan bicycle company 'Storm' was created in order to make cycling a popular sport and for the achievement of a bigger activity of the players it invited at the opening of the season in the spring of 1939 the glorified Bulgarian wrestler Dan Koloff and after that some other wrestlers.

Regarding the organization and competitive activity 'Storm' was among the leading companies in the country. It took the first place in the district regarding the number of its members. Bulgarian Cycling Union appreciated Troyan company and always included in the offices of its Congresses a delegate from Troyan or elected a candidate from Troyan in the composition of the managing committee.

The revenues of the company were significant, as from membership fees and the sale of entrance tickets for the competitions taking place on the bicycle track.The revenues were spent especially for sporting purposes - prizes for the winners in the competitions, building the racetrack and it maintenance. All the positions in the company were on a public basis - absolutely free.

Cycling Club Hemus-1896 is the successor of the bicycle company 'Storm', founded in 1896.