Organisers of Baltic Chain Tour met in Riga, Latvia and agreed on extending next year’s tour to eight days. Also, It’s clear that one or two stages will be raced in Finland. So far Baltic states joint cycling tour has been arranged as five-day tour in three countries. As Finland joining is certain, there is a chance that Sweden also helds one stage. Due to superb ferry connection between organising countries it is possible to arrange the cycling tour in five different countries. Estonia’s stages main organiser Allar Tõnissaar: “Longer tour is not going to be easy one, but we are very glad that Finland is joining and perhaps Sweden too. All should be clear before seasonal holidays.”

Finland was one of five countries that had its national team competing in Baltic Chain Tour this year. In next August they have a chance to race one or two stages also at home. “It’s been a long time since the last time the UCI competition was held in Finland. Therefore, we wish Baltic Chain Tour 2013 a particularly warm welcome to compete on the routes around the city of Lahti. Nordic Ski World Championships will be held in Lahti 2017. Lahti is a ski town, but it is also a cycling city. Lahti occupies an ideal logistic location in the center of Southern Finland, only 50 minutes from Helsinki,” said Finnish stages main organiser Esko Lummelampi.

Baltic Chain Tour celebrates Baltic chain events, that took place in 23^rd of August in 1989 in the Baltic states. 2013 Baltic Chain Tour will be held from 18^th to 25^th of August in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and perhaps in Sweden. Baltic Chain Tour is UCI 2.2 category cycling tour.

The organisers of the Baltic Chain Tour have decided that 2013 Baltic Tour will be eight days long. Category of the tour will remain the same – UCI 2.2.

Baltic Chain Tour 2013 starts 18th of August and finishes in 25th of August. It’s going to be longest cycling tour in the Baltic Sea region.

This year’s Baltic Chain Tour round-up show is now available to watch. 25 minute round-up gives good overview of each stage of the tour, has many interviews with riders and organisers and much more.
Watch it now here:

Five stage tour was won by Lithuanian Gedminas Bagdonas. Lithuanian champion showed consistent good form during the tour and basically secured the generel victory, still went for the first place in last stage. Bagdonas got his third stage victory of the tour and 2000+ spectators at the finish had every reason to chant ‘Lithuania’.

Last stage did not offer many breakaways, but there was tension till the end. Last stage with average speed 43,9 km/h saw efforts to break away from Swedish Trek Team with leader after two stages Alexander Gingsjö. Lithuanians and Endura Racing controlled the group and nothing serious came out of it. Just half the stage through Team Ringeriks – Kraft Look rider Marius Andre Hafsas and Oleksandr Prevar from Kolss had a breakaway and soon had a lead more than 3 minutes. At city circuit they were caught and group finish was won by Gediminas Bagdonas.

Best team this tour was Endura Racing, best active rider Gediminas Bagdonas, best young rider Viktor Shmalko from Itera – Katusha and mountain king of the tour was Mihkel Räim from SJK Viiking.

• Replay live report here
• Check results here
• Videos with winners here
• Soon to have photos from each stage here (currently from II stage)

Today’s fourth stage won Gediminas Bagdonas from Lithuanian National Team. With this victory he is now new general leader of the tour. Viktor Shmalko came second and Deand Windsor third.

Fourth stage was full of action and one might say it’s a pity that it ended so quicly. Riders average speed during the race was 50, 24 km/h, which you don’t see very often. First, pancake plain, part of stage saw average speed as high as almost 60 km/h. No wonder that main goup broke into smaller groups soon after start.

Not so lucky was Alexander Gingsjö from Trek Sweden. The leader belonged most of the race to leaders group, but then had a puncture problem and was left behind. He soon after that found himself in second group. Eve though he was full of motivation to bring those groups together and was working hard in front of second group, Lithuanians in first group were working very hard to secure Gediminas Bagdonas lead. And they managed it so the quick-feet Lithuanian became general leader of the tour. He also helds green jersey as most active rider of the tour.

Mountain jersey belongs second stage in a row to Estonian Mihkel Räim, who had  technical problems today as well as nasty crash in the first half of the stage.  Best young rider after stage IV is today’s second placed Viktor Shmalko from Itera – Katusha team.

Last stage of the Baltic Chain Tour takes riders from Utena to Vilnius. The distance of the race is 140km. Start of the race is somewhere after 14:00 as it depends on when riders of Vilnius Velomarathon finish. Live commentary on tour homepage  starts around 14:00.

Third stage was held in Latvia from SMiltene to Riga. 181 km race was won by Turkish team Konya Torku Seker Spor rider Yuriy Metlushenko. Second came Lithuanian National Team rider Gediminas Bagdonas. Thrid came Dylan Groenewegen from Dutch Cycling Team De Rijke.

Tour general leader Alexander Gingsjö finished in peloton and is now leading ahead of Bagdonas with 8 seconds. Third place in general is Rick Ottema (De Rijke).

Third stage was full of breakaways and some of these succeeded for some time. Although most of the race was head or side wind, some riders were determined to get ahead of peloton. Soon they all were captured by main group. On  the finish line 20 time UCI race winner Metlushenko showed quickest feet and won the stage III.

First intermediate sprint was won by Australian John Anderson (Endura Racing), second sprint won Bas Stamsnijder. Mountain sprint was won also by Anderson.

Tomorrow yellow jersey belongs to Gingsjö, Green one to Bagdonas, Polka-dot to Mihkel Räim and best young rider jersey belongs to Rick Ottema.

Stage IV will be held in Lithuania from Siauliai to Utena.

Gediminas Bagdonas from Lithuanian national Team won Baltic Chain Tour second stage from Viljandi to Otepää. This was fifth UCI win for Lithuanian champion this year. (more…)

Baltic Chain Tour started today from Tallinn and had very intriguing end in Viljandi. Alexander Gingsjö said after the race at press conference that he has been ill for a couple of days and wasn’t going for the victory. In Viljandi where 3 city laps were at the end of the stage he found himself suddenly alone. Then today’s second best Rick Ottema came and together they raced til finish. Gingsjö had better finish sprint and won the stage. Gingsjö declared that this was his most important victory this year. Jonathan McEvoy from Endura Racing came third in front of 7-head group losing with 21 seconds to the winner.

Tomorrow cyclers ride from Viljandi to Otepää through Tõrva. The race starts at noon and there is also one mountain sprint before finish. Tomorrow’s stage will also have live text coverage at the tour homepage.

Today second year in a row Baltic Chain Tour starts in three Baltic Countries. The tour that got it’s name from a historic event from 23rd of August 23 years ago – Baltic Chain*, takes riders from Tallinn, Estonia to Vilnius, Lithuania in five long days. Two stages are in Estonia, one in Latvia and two last stages are in southern part of the Baltics, in Lithuania. (more…)

Final starting list is now available at our homepage under teams section. From 18 teams 11 are continental, 2 elite and 5 national teams. Riders come from 15 different countries and there’s 108 brave riders altogether taking the journey from Tallinn to Vilnius.

Baltic Chain Tour starts in front of Estonian Parliament on 21st of August at noon. Welcoming words say Speaker of the Parliament Ms. Ene Ergma and Minister of Culture Mr. Rein Lang. (more…)

We are pleased to tell that this year it is possible to follow Baltic Chain Tour live. We will have live text commentary from each stage plus we cover first two stages in Estonia showing picture from several places on the stage.

Baltic Chain Tour 2012 takes place in three Baltic states from 21st of August til 25th of August. The Tour starts from Tallinn, Estonia and finishes in Vilnius, Lithuania. Baltic Chain Tour is UCI II category cycling tour.

Lithuanian Ramunas ‘Honey Badger’ Navardauskas (Garmin – Barracuda) who will be participating this year’s Baltic Chain Tour is the new leader of Giro after 4th stage. We  keep our fingers crossed that he will maintain the jersey and hopefully tall Lithuanian shows his power also for the Baltic crowd in August.

Photo credit Roberto Bettini

Baltic Chain Tour 2012 starts on 21st of August in Tallinn, Estonia and ends on 25th of August in Vilnius, Lithuania. The tour has UCI 2.2 category. More than 40 teams have already shown intrest in participating, but only 20 teams are allowed to race this year. There are no decisions made who will get the invitation to participate. As soon as we have the list of the teams, it will be visible on the tour home page. (more…)