CYCLISTS from Estonia

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Estonian Cyclists of all time. This list of famous Estonian Cyclists is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Estonian Cyclists.

1. Aavo Pikkuus (b. 1954)

With an HPI of 48.75, Aavo Pikkuus is the most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages on wikipedia.

Aavo Pikkuus (born 23 November 1954) is a retired Estonian cyclist. He was part of the Soviet Union cycling team that won the 100 km team time trial at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1977 UCI Road World Championships and finished second at the world championships in 1975 and 1978. Between 1974 and 1977 Pikkuus won four national (Soviet) titles in the road race. In 1975 he finished third at the multistage Peace Race. He won that race in 1977 individually and in 1975 and 1977–1979 in the team competition; in 1977 he was leading the race from start to finish. He won the Circuit de la Sarthe in 1977 and Giro delle Regione in 1978. He retired from cycling in 1981 and for several years successfully competed in auto rally. (For example, he won the 1983 Saaremaa Rally.) Later he owned a car shop, which burned down in the 1990s. Pikkuus is an honorary member of the Estonian Olympic Committee and was named Estonian Sportspersonality of the year five times (1974–1978). In 2001 he was awarded the Order of the Estonian Red Cross. He is married and has three daughters and a son.

2. Jaan Kirsipuu (b. 1969)

With an HPI of 43.96, Jaan Kirsipuu is the 2nd most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Jaan Kirsipuu (born 17 July 1969 in Tartu) is an Estonian former road bicycle racer, who currently works as a directeur sportif for UCI Continental team Voltas–Tartu 2024 by CCN. He spent the majority of his career riding under the management of Vincent Lavenu, initially joining Lavenu's Chazal–Vanille et Mûre team as a stagiaire and staying with the squad in its various incarnations for 12 years, taking a total of 124 race wins for the team. Kirsipuu initially retired at the end of the 2006, but participated in the 2007 Estonian championship, becoming time trial champion for the sixth time. In 2008 he was the manager of Latvian UCI Continental cycling team Rietumu Banka–Riga. In 2009 he joined LeTua Cycling Team. During his career, Kirsipuu got 115 professional wins and another 62 wins from criteriums and other non-professional races. He retired again in 2012, and became a sporting director with the Astana team. At his peak he was one of Estonia's top athletes and the first Estonian rider to win a stage in the Tour de France. He dropped out of the Tour de France 12 times, which is the record. In spite of this, he won multiple stages and wore the yellow jersey for six days in 1999. This made him the only rider from Estonia to lead any of the three Grand Tours until Rein Taaramäe led the Vuelta for two days in 2021.

3. Erika Salumäe (b. 1962)

With an HPI of 43.31, Erika Salumäe is the 3rd most famous Estonian Cyclist.  Her biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Erika Salumäe (born 11 June 1962) is an Estonian track bicycle racer who won the first Olympic gold medal for Estonia after the country regained independence in 1991. Salumäe was born in Pärnu, Estonia. She trained at VSS Kalev in Tallinn. At the 1983 Summer Universiade she won two gold medals, in the women's sprint and women's 500 m time trial and the silver medal in the women's points race. Salumäe won the gold medal in track cycling at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, competing for the USSR team and in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, competing for Estonia. At World Championships from 1984 to 1989, she won 2 golds (1987 and 1989), 2 silvers (1984 and 1986) and 1 bronze (1995). From 1982 to 1989, she set 15 world records and was elected the Best Estonian Athlete in 1983, 1984, 1987–1990, 1992, 1995, and 1996.

4. Rein Taaramäe (b. 1987)

With an HPI of 36.40, Rein Taaramäe is the 4th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

Rein Taaramäe (born 24 April 1987) is an Estonian professional road racing cyclist, who rides for UCI WorldTeam Intermarché–Wanty.

5. Tanel Kangert (b. 1987)

With an HPI of 32.25, Tanel Kangert is the 5th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Tanel Kangert (born 11 March 1987) is an Estonian former road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional from 2008 to 2022.

6. Janek Tombak (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 30.85, Janek Tombak is the 6th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Janek Tombak (born 22 July 1976 in Põltsamaa) is an Estonian former professional road cyclist. He won the Estonian national championships twice (2001, 2003) and finished in 10th place at the 2003 UCI Road World Championships.

7. Rene Mandri (b. 1984)

With an HPI of 29.81, Rene Mandri is the 7th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Rene Mandri (born 20 January 1984 in Jõgeva) is an Estonian former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional between 2006 and 2012, with the Auber 93, Ag2r–La Mondiale and Endura Racing teams. He had a life-threatening crash in 2008 Giro d'Italia Stage 6. He has been working as cycling coach since 2014 and he is a recognized Sports Organisation Leader in Estonia with an IOC diploma. He created Cycling Tartu, a club to develop cycling in the Baltics. and was the U23 coach in Estonian Cyclists Union. He now works as a directeur sportif for UCI ProTeam Israel–Premier Tech. He previously worked as a team manager for UCI Continental team Voltas–Tartu 2024 by CCN.

8. Kalle Kriit (b. 1983)

With an HPI of 28.61, Kalle Kriit is the 8th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Kalle Kriit (born 13 November 1983 in Elva) is an Estonian professional racing cyclist who last rode for UCI Professional Continental Team Cofidis. His nickname is Estonian Emperor.

9. Erki Pütsep (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 28.23, Erki Pütsep is the 9th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Erki Pütsep (born 25 May 1976 in Jõgeva) is an Estonian professional road bicycle racer who last rode for the Alpha Baltic–Unitymarathons.com team. He is the three time national road race champion (2004, 2006 and 2007) and won the E.O.S. Tallinn GP in 2007. In 2011 he won Baltic Chain Tour, which was held in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

10. Mihkel Räim (b. 1993)

With an HPI of 26.64, Mihkel Räim is the 10th most famous Estonian Cyclist.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Mihkel Räim (born 3 July 1993) is an Estonian cyclist, who currently rides for Ferei Quick-Panda Podium Mongolia Team. In October 2020, he was named in the startlist for the 2020 Vuelta a España. He is four time Estonian national road race champion. In his career he earned more than 15 UCI victories in different categories.