Results and Reports for June 11-15, 2001

Estonia

Promoters wishing to submit results should send them to cyclingnews

44th Saaremaa Velotuur - NE

44th Saaremaa Velotuur - NE

Estonia, June 11-15, 2001

Report

By Janno Toots

23-year-old Estonian Helmet Tamkõrv from Finnish club CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken won this year's edition of Saaremaa Velotuur (Tour of Saaremaa), an international five-day race with 15 teams and 66 riders from four countries.

Held since 1957, Saaremaa Velotuur is the most important stage race in Estonia. In addition to local elite riders it attracts riders from neighbouring countries like Finland and Latvia. Teams from Holland and even from Egypt have contested the race in previous years. Current World Champion Romans Vainsteins (Latvia) won the event in 1995 and the tour has seen Estonian riders like 1976 Olympic Champion Aavo Pikkuus (winner in 1979), Jaan Kirsipuu, Lauri Aus (winner 1991 and 1996), Janek Tombak, Andrus Aug and late Jaanus Kuum in the start list.

Since 1998 the race is extended beyond the island of Saaremaa to "continental" Estonia. This year it started in city of Tartu and finished in Saaremaa district centre Kuressaare. Traditional speciality is a gravel road passage in Saaremaa.

This year pre-race favourites were difficult to identify with main rivalry expected between Estonian and Finnish clubs. The riders with best UCI rankings were Andris Spehts (759th) from Latvia, Juha Paajanen (913rd) from Finland and Oskari Kargu (1048th) from Estonia.

Results

Prologue - June 11. Tartu, 3.3 km

1 Olegs Melehs (Lat) Latvia U 23                       4.49
2 Caspar Austa (Est) Elva Spordikool                   0.00,12
3 Andre Adusson (Est) Kalevi Jalgrattakool             0.03
4 Vahur Valvas (Est) JK Tamme                          
5 Veli-Pekka Juntunen (Fin) Chebisi/Haapsalu Uksetehas 0.04   
6 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken          0.05

1 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken       2.55.18
2 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team                0.01
3 Allan Oras (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere             0.02
4 Marko Kurits (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere           0.16
5 Harri Pasila (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken            
6 Indrek Rannama (Est) Saaremaa JK Viiking
 
Leader: Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken    

1 Vahur Valvas (Est) JK Tamme                       3.05.14
2 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken          0.01
3 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team
4 Allan Oras (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere       
5 Indrek Rannama (Est) Saaremaa JK Viiking             0.03
6 Harri Pasila (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken            
 
Leader: Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken    

1 Kimmo Kananen (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken        3.32.56
2 Tarmo Raudsepp (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere         0.01
3 Juha Paajanen (Fin) TuUl Posteral Team               
4 Sami Hiltunen (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken           0.04       
5 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team                0.16
6 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken          
 
Leader: Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken    

1 Andris Spehts (Lat) Latvia U 23                     27.13
2 Sami Hiltunen (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken           0.12
3 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken          0.18   
4 Andre Adusson (Est) Kalevi Jalgrattakool             0.21       
5 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team                0.25
6 Allan Oras (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere             0.31
 
Leader: Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken 

1 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team             2.02.47
2 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken          
3 Kimmo Kananen (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken           
4 Allan Oras (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere
5 Indrek Rannama (Est) Saaremaa JK Viiking             0.01
6 Andris Spehts (Lat) Latvia U 23           
 
Final general classification
 
1 Helmet Tamkõrv (Est) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken      12.08.23
2 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team                0.19   
3 Allan Oras (Est) Pikkuus Racing Tähtvere             0.50
4 Andris Spehts (Lat) Latvia U 23                      0.52
5 Harri Pasila (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken            2.18
6 Sami Hiltunen (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken           2.48
7 Indrek Rannama (Est) Saaremaa JK Viiking             2.57
8 Andre Adusson (Est) Kalevi Jalgrattakool             3.06
9 Olegs Melehs (Lat) Latvia U23                        3.31
10 Tero Hämeenaho (Fin) CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken         3.38
 
Teams classification
 
1 CC Tailwind/TWD-Länken                           36.27.52
2 TuUl Posteral Team                                   4.39
3 Latvia U23                                          10.50
 
Sprints
 
1 Oskari Kargu (Est) TuUl Posteral Team                       
 
KOM
 
1 Andris Spehts (Lat) Latvia U 23
 
Juniors
 
1 Raimo Ruus (Est) Pärnu Spordiselts Kalev Spordikool
 
Results courtesy of http.//www.kuressaare.ee/velotuur/