Lauri Aus
 Aus' gravestone at Raadi cemetery in Tartu | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lauri Aus |
| Born | 4 November 1970 Tartu, Estonia |
| Died | 20 July 2003 (aged 32) Tartu County, Estonia |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Professional teams | |
| 1995–1996 | Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne |
| 1997–2003 | Casino |
| Major wins | |
| Tour de Limousin General Classification (1997) Classic Haribo (1998) | |
Lauri Aus (4 November 1970 – 20 July 2003) was an Estonian professional cyclist who represented his native country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992.[1][2]
Early life and career
Aus was born in Tartu and grew up in the village of Luua in Jõgeva County. His professional cycling career began in 1995 with the French cycling team Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne. After four wins in 1996, he was signed to Casino the following year alongside countryman Jaan Kirsipuu. He remained with this team until his death, which was renamed the AG2R Citroën Team in 2000. Aus won a Tour du Limousin (1997), a Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine (1998), Classic Haribo (1998) and a Grand Prix d'Isbergues (1999). In 1999, he was fifth at Milan–San Remo. In 2000, he became Estonian road champion.[1]
In 1992, 1996 and 2000, Aus represented his home country at the Summer Olympic Games. At the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, he finished fifth in the road race.[1]
Death and legacy
On 20 July 2003, while cycling on the Aovere-Kallaste-Omedu road in Tartu County in preparation for a later race in Karksi-Nuia, he was struck from behind by an Opel Ascona. He died of his injuries en route to a hospital, aged thirty-two. He was buried at Raadi cemetery in Tartu. The driver of the vehicle was determined to have been drunk and later sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment.[1]
Since 2004, the Lauri Aus GP memorial cycling race is held annually at the Pirita-Kloostrimetsa race circuit, next to the Pirita Velodrome, in Tallinn in honour of Aus.[3]
In July 2019, a memorial bench commemorating Aus was opened to the public in Aus' hometown of Luua, by Aus' parents, children, widow, first coach Kalev Raudsepp, and politician Aivar Kokk.[4]
Major results
- 1992
National Road Race Champion- 5th Olympics Road Race
- 1994
- National time trial Champion
- 1997
- 1st Tour de Limousin, stage 3
- 1st Tour de Limousin, General Classification
- 1st Tour de Pologne, stage 1
- 1998
- 1st Classic Haribo
- 1st Tour de l'Oise, stage 1
- 2nd Tour de l'Oise, General Classification
- 1st Tour du Poitou-Charentes, stage 1
- 1st Tour du Poitou-Charentes, General Classification
- 3rd Tour de Limousin, General Classification
- National Road Race Champion
- National time trial Champion
- 2001
- 1st Tour du Poitou-Charentes, stage 4
- 3rd Tour du Poitou-Charentes, General Classification
- 2003
- 3rd Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, General Classification
References
- ^ a b c d Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lauri Aus Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "ESBL".
- ^ "Lauri Aus GP". CFC Spordiklubi. 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "Lauri Aus sai mälestuspingi". Vooremaa.ee (in Estonian). 30 July 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2023.