This was the 44th time the event, which forms part of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Gran Fondo World Series and which also attracts amateurs and enthusiasts, was held.

Also competing was veteran rider Rein Taaramäe, whose tactic for an all-Estonian breakaway group which would fend off any foreign racer seemed to pay off.

Taaramäe, 38, who races for a team in Japan and finished eighth overall in Tartu, said: "We Estonians agreed among ourselves that a foreigner wouldn't win today. In that respect, we had some sort of cooperation or awareness in the back of our minds."

This manifested itself in an Estonian cycle phalanx spearheaded by Taaramäe and which included previous Rattaralli winners Norman Vahtra and Romet Pajur, as well as Tamm and Lauk. Last year's winner Mihkel Räim was also racing.

The decisive developments in fact took place within the first couple of dozen kilometers. Even before reaching the village of Nõo, southwest of Tartu city, the breakaway Taaramäe-initiated group of 11 riders formed up and this early move proved crucial.

Taaramäe told ERR: "I already saw at home in the morning that the crosswind section comes right at the start. And afterwards there's too much headwind and tailwind, where it would've been harder to break away. So I decided, yes, to go full gas there. And I was sure someone else would jump on the carousel."

By the time the group reached Elva, around 10 kilometers further on, the gap to the peloton was already two and a half minutes. Nothing changed after that around Otepää or on the way back to Tartu, until five kilometers before the finish, Lauk attacked. The most active response came from another Estonian, Tamm, who races for an amateur team in France, managed to catch Lauk, overtaking him for the win, by one second, with a time of 2:48.13. Pajur finished third, four seconds behind the winner.

The women's event also went to the home team as Aidi Gerde Tuisk took first place over competitors from Poland and Norway, after her third place in the Ladies Tour of Estonia just one day before.

Despite opening a small gap, in the end everything was again decided with a sprint finish. Tuisk finished with a time of 02:55.07, a second ahead of Malwina Mul, who had won the Ladies Tour the day before.

"The weather was highly windy and it made the ride difficult. Riding with the men is much faster and I just tried to hold on. We rode in the same pack as Camilla and Malwina and went out for the final sprint," Tuisk said post-race.

Nearly 5,000 people overall took part in the Tartu Rattaralli rides, which includes a vintage category.

One rider, Ilmar, completed the race on a tandem bicycle he picked up in England and was joined by his friend Aldo on the two-seater.

"Well, I brought it back myself, as I go back and forth to England. And then it seemed pretty cool. And now we've ridden with Aldo every year. We just counted the stickers, I don't know, I think we've been riding for nine years," Ilmar said.

Another, Heilo, completed the race in the vintage ride on an old-school bicycle. "My father assembles old bikes and buys parts from all over the world. And this Adler model 57 is the only one known in Estonia. In Latvia there are actually two that are known about, but in Estonia this is the only one. So if anyone has an Adler 57 at home, let us know!"

Technically, the Tartu Rattaralli is not over even now, as the virtual races continue to next Sunday, June 8.

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