Set to join Astana in 2015, Rein Taaramae paid back the Cofidis team for their many years of trust when he won the hard one-day race Tour du Doubs. The Estonian was pleased to take one final race for the team that allowed him to turn professional almost a decade ago.

A few weeks ago, Astana announced that they had signed Rein Taaramae as a key reinforcement of their stage race roster. Today the Estonian proved that they had made a good choice when he won the hilly Tour du Doubs in the Jura mountains.

Launching relentless attacks in a hectic start, Taaramae instigated the day’s 15-rider group that included a formidable group of climbers, with Thibaut Pinot, Davide Rebellin, Alexis Vuillermoz and Remy Di Gregorio being among the biggest names in the move. The Estonian stayed attentive when the group split 40km from the finish and finally he dropped all his rivals on the final climb.

"At first I made a solo attack on the first climb," he told Directvelo. "Thibaut Pinot joined me. We ended up being just the two of us before several riders joined us.

"The breakaway of 15 riders rode hard from the beginning to the end. I spoke with Thibaut Pinot and we agreed that it was necessary to begin to attack. At about 40 km from the finish, Thibaut launched an acceleration and then it was my turn. Therefore, the group split in two. Unfortunately, Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale) and Pierre-Luc Périchon did not take any pulls. 

"Thibaut Pinot accelerated again on the final climb of Larmont. When he did that, everybody was on their limit. When he sat down, I counterattacked. It was a good idea and often works well when people are a bloc. I gave everything. After the descent, I was sure that I would win.

"The Tour du Doubs was a goal. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of races at the end of the season. I will compete in the Grand Prix de Wallonie, then the TT and the road race at the Worlds.

"I had a difficult season in 2014. I had surgery in the throat. I had a double layer of skin which gave me trouble breathing. In my return to competition, I won in Turkey. Everything was fine but I suffered in the Tour de France. I was not well prepared, I did not have the basics. 

"I'm happy to win for the Cofidis team, in one of my last races with this squad. I came to the team in 2006 after having been riding for Roue d'Or Saint-Amandoise which had the Cofidis colours on their jerseys. I did not speak a single French word at that time. After seven seasons with Cofidis, it is important to change things a bit."