Baltic Chain Tour

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Baltic Chain Tour
Race details
Date August
Region Northern Europe
English name Baltic Chain Tour
Discipline Road
Competition UCI Europe Tour
Type Stage race
History
First edition 1955 (1955)
Editions 24 (as of 2013)
First winner  Harijs Japiņš (LAT)
Most wins  Ants Väravas (EST)
Most recent  Philipp Walsleben (GER)
Baltic Chain Tour 2012 – top 3 overall.

Baltic Chain Tour is a stage race for professional road bicycle racers organized as a part of the UCI Continental Circuits. Baltic Chain Tour was established to commemorate Baltic Way. Conducted mainly in the Baltics, 2013 tour starts from Lahti, Finland. Baltic Chain Tour is a UCI category 2.2 cycling tour.[1]

The joint Baltic cycling tour has a long history. The tradition began in the 1950s and was broken in 1991. On November 4, 2010 in Riga, the presidents of three national cycling unions signed a cooperation agreement to restore the tradition of the Baltic cycling tour.[2]

Origins

Although first international cycling race in the Baltic's was held in 1889 from Riga (Latvia) to Tallinn (Estonia),[3] first Baltic Tour was held in 1955. First four years the tour conducted in Latvia and Lithuania. Since 1959 the tour has been held in three Baltic countries. For many, it was a preparation for Peace Tour, which usually was held after Baltic Tour. At the times, the tour took place in May. Modern tour is raced in August to commemorate famous Baltic chain event. Most times winner til today is Estonian, Ants Väravas, who have succeeded three times – 1959, 1962 & 1964.[4]

Baltic Tour winners 1955–1987

Rider Team
1955 Latvia Japiņš, HarijsHarijs Japiņš (LAT) Latvia
1956 Lithuania Paršaitis, K.K. Paršaitis (LTU) Cycling Team Dinamo
1957 Lithuania Krulikauskas, B.B. Krulikauskas (LTU) Lithuania
1958 Lithuania Krulikauskas, B.B. Krulikauskas (LTU) Lithuania
1959 Estonia Väravas, AntsAnts Väravas (EST) Estonia
1960 Estonia Leegu, ReinRein Leegu (EST) Estonia
1961 Latvia Pavlovs, A.A. Pavlovs (LAT) Latvia
1962 Estonia Väravas, AntsAnts Väravas (EST) Estonia
1963 Lithuania Grambauskas, J.J. Grambauskas (LTU) Lithuania
1964 Estonia Väravas, AntsAnts Väravas (EST) Estonia
1972 Lithuania Berankis, VV Berankis (LTU) Lithuania
1973 Latvia Paškauskas, V.V. Paškauskas (LAT) Lithuania
1974 Latvia Kalnienieks, Kalnienieks (LAT) Latvia
1975 Latvia Jekabsons, A.A. Jekabsons (LAT) Latvia
1976 Latvia Jekabsons, A.A. Jekabsons (LAT) Latvia
1978 Latvia Sarkanis, A.A. Sarkanis (LAT) Latvia
1979 Latvia Bergs, A.A. Bergs (LAT) Latvia
1980 Bulgaria Mironov, A.A. Mironov (BUL) Bulgaria
1981 Estonia Veeranna, JaanJaan Veeranna (EST) Estonia
1986 Latvia Feldmanis, J.J. Feldmanis (LAT) Latvia
1987 Estonia Murd, AivarAivar Murd (EST) Estonia

Modern Tour 2011 – present

Rider Team
2011 Estonia Pütsep, ErkiErki Pütsep (EST) Alpha Baltic-Unitymarathons.com
2012 Lithuania Bagdonas, GediminasGediminas Bagdonas (LTU) Lithuania national team
2013 Germany Walsleben, PhilippPhilipp Walsleben (GER) BKCP-Powerplus

Stages

Year 2011 2012 2013
Prologue (km) Lithuania Vilnius (3) N/A N/A
1st (km) Lithuania Vilnius (176,2) Estonia Tallinn – Estonia Viljandi (188) Finland Lahti (168)
2nd (km) Lithuania Panevėžys – Lithuania Šiauliai (165,8) Estonia Viljandi – Estonia Otepää (185) Estonia Tallinn – Estonia Viljandi (193)
3rd (km) Latvia Riga – Latvia Sigulda (139,6) Latvia Smiltene – Latvia Riga (180) Estonia Viljandi – Estonia Otepää (171)
4th (km) Estonia Viljandi (153) Lithuania Šiauliai – Lithuania Utena (180) Latvia Smiltene – Latvia Sigulda (178)
5th (km) N/A Lithuania Utena – Lithuania Vilnius (146) Lithuania Panevėžys – Lithuania Utena (180)
6th (km) N/A N/A Lithuania Utena – Lithuania Vilnius (146)

Stage Winners

Year 2011 2012 2013
Prologue Lithuania Gediminas Bagdonas N/A N/A
1st Lithuania Gediminas Bagdonas Sweden Alexander Gingsjö Germany Philipp Walsleben
2nd Latvia Indulis Bekmanis Lithuania Gediminas Bagdonas Germany Marcel Meisen
3rd Latvia Indulis Bekmanis Ukraine Yuri Metlushenko Russia Andrey Sazanov
4th Estonia Erki Pütsep Lithuania Gediminas Bagdonas Slovakia Patrik Tybor
5th N/A Lithuania Gediminas Bagdonas Estonia Mihkel Räim
6th N/A N/A Latvia Andris Smirnovs

References

  1. ↑ Baltic Chain Tour homepage
  2. ↑ Estonian Public Broadcasting
  3. ↑ Estonian Olympic Committee In Estonian
  4. ↑ Delfi.ee In Estonian

External links

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