'Go fast!' Keiraville boy Magnus Apro delights in hosting Finnish cyclist during world championships

Cyclist Wilma Aintila, along with her mother and father, booked their stay ahead of the UCI Road World Championships.

"It was quite a nice surprise to know someone who was staying with us was actually racing," Cortney Apro said.

"When we found out, we were so excited, especially because we haven't had any international visitors for such a long time."

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But the most excited of all is Cortney's son, 6-year-old Magnus, who has made enormous efforts to make his new Finnish friends feel at home.

As Wilma took to the road for a training session one afternoon, young Magnus had a bright idea to motivate her.

He drew words of encouragement across the driveway in bright chalk including "Go Wilma!" and "Go fast!" to surprise her when she came home.

"We just wanted to cheer her on," Magnus said.

And his idea worked. Wilma, 18, said it was a "lovely surprise".

"The cover he designed was very nice," she said. "He drew the Finnish flag and rainbow, you really got a welcoming feel to the whole world championship."

While spending most of her time preparing for races, Wilma has loved seeing Australian native animals at Symbio Wildlife Park and exploring the "most beautiful beaches".

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