Rein Taaramäe (born April 24, 1987 in Tartu) is an Estonian road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental cycling team Cofidis.
Taaramäe turned professional in 2008 for Cofidis after riding for the team as a stagiaire in late 2007 and winning a stage at the Circuit des Ardennes early in the season. In 2008 he won two stages of Grand Prix du Portugal and a stage of Tour de l'Avenir. At the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Taaramäe competed in the road race and the road time trial.
In 2009 he finished third at the Tour de Romandie and eighth at the Tour de Suisse. Taaramäe won both the national road race and time trial championships. He also won Tour de l'Ain after winning the last stage to Col du Grand Colombier. In 2010 he finished seventh at the Paris-Nice and third at the Volta a Catalunya. In 2011, Rein finished 11th overall in The Tour de France. On Stage 14 of the 2011 Vuelta a España Taaramae and breakaway companion David de la Fuente were the last two riders of a 17 man breakaway, but with 2 km to go de la Fuente dropped back to pace teammate Juan José Cobo up the climb allowing Taaramae to solo to his first ever Grand Tour stage win.
WD = withdrew
Taaramäe turned professional in 2008 for Cofidis after riding for the team as a stagiaire in late 2007 and winning a stage at the Circuit des Ardennes early in the season. In 2008 he won two stages of Grand Prix du Portugal and a stage of Tour de l'Avenir. At the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Taaramäe competed in the road race and the road time trial.
In 2009 he finished third at the Tour de Romandie and eighth at the Tour de Suisse. Taaramäe won both the national road race and time trial championships. He also won Tour de l'Ain after winning the last stage to Col du Grand Colombier. In 2010 he finished seventh at the Paris-Nice and third at the Volta a Catalunya. In 2011, Rein finished 11th overall in The Tour de France. On Stage 14 of the 2011 Vuelta a España Taaramae and breakaway companion David de la Fuente were the last two riders of a 17 man breakaway, but with 2 km to go de la Fuente dropped back to pace teammate Juan José Cobo up the climb allowing Taaramae to solo to his first ever Grand Tour stage win.
Palmares
- 2005
- 3rd overall, juniors Course de Paix
- 2006
- 1st National Under-23 Time Trial Championships
- 1st, GP Ouest-France – U23 version
- 2007
- 1st, Stage 4, Circuit des Ardennes
- 2nd , European Under-23 Time Trial Championships
- 2nd, National Time Trial Championship
- 2008
- 1st, Stage 2, Grand Prix du Portugal
- 1st, Stage 3, Grand Prix du Portugal
- 1st, Stage 6, Tour de l'Avenir
- 2009
- 1st National Time Trial Championships
- 1st National Road Race Championships
- 1st Overall, Tour de l'Ain
- 1st, Stage 5
- 1st Mountains Classification, Vuelta al País Vasco
- 3rd Overall, Tour de Romandie
- 8th Overall, Tour de Suisse
- 2010
- 3rd Overall, Volta a Catalunya
- 7th Overall, Paris–Nice
- 9th Overall, Route du Sud
- 2011
- 1st National Time Trial Championships
- 1st, Stage 14, Vuelta a Espana
- 3rd Overall, Critérium International
- 4th Overall, Paris–Nice
- 8th Overall, Volta ao Algarve
- 10th Overall, Circuit Cycliste Sarthe
- 2012
- 1st National Time Trial Championships
- 2nd Overall, Vuelta a Andalucia
- 3rd Overall, Étoile de Bessèges
Grand Tour General Classification results timeline
Grand Tour | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
---|---|---|---|
Giro d'Italia | - | - | - |
Tour de France | - | WD | 11 |
Vuelta a España | 74 | - | WD |