Ilnur Zakarin Discussion thread

[Valv.Piti]

Bad decision in my opinion. The Giro is excellent for Zakarin, especially in 18, and he doesn't have the level to more than a top-5. And then you have Kittel obviously.

 

[Rommel]

Re:

Good for him. Eventually he had to ride the Tour one day.

Some things:

- He said that he doesn't like the heat. Better prepare for it. Go to train to very hot places.
- Bike handling is a big issue at the Tour. Especially that first week when everyone is fighting for position.
- I don't see a big problem splitting the forces with Kittel. If anything will help him take the pressure off from him. Besides I don't thing he is the one to beat or the one for the win. So the team requirement should not be as big.

My 2 cents.

Don´t like the heat, but with bad wheather he has some problems in the descents.

I don´t know which is better race for him (Giro or Tour), but Zakarin hasn´t big skills apart from climbing, and in any case, he is not a difference maker in the mountains respect Froome, Landa, Aru, Quintana... and many others riders...

Good luck for him, but imo the podium of the last VE is the top of his career in a GTs.

 

[Roku]

I don't think so. A GT podium is within his reach and i could even see him winning a Giro with a weak field (which could easily be a 2019 Giro without Dumoulin and Quintana, i don't rate the likes of Chaves, Aru, Pinot, Landa above him)

 

[movingtarget]

I don't think so. A GT podium is within his reach and i could even see him winning a Giro with a weak field (which could easily be a 2019 Giro without Dumoulin and Quintana, i don't rate the likes of Chaves, Aru, Pinot, Landa above him)

If he keeps improving he isn't far away. Chaves, Aru, Pinot and Landa all have weaknesses but on their day they also have brilliance, more so than Zakarin. Zakarin just needs to be consistent over three weeks, no bad days. His TT is underrated but his descending can be pretty bad. He is a few seasons from his best I think. Contador has gone, Porte and Froome are getting older, Quintana is not improving, Valverde will soon be gone and Nibali. In two years the podiums will look much different with the younger riders taking over.

 

[Breh]

-Abu Dhabi
-Paris-Nice
-GP Miguel Indurain
-Euskal Herriko Itzulia
-FW
-LBL
-Dauphiné
-Tour

He says he's mainly going to LeTour to learn while aiming as high as possible in the GC. According to himself, he's not yet ready to fight for the win bit he wants to be able to win a GT in the next few years.

Good luck Zakarin!

 

[portugal11]

i fear for him on the cobbles

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

-Abu Dhabi
-Paris-Nice
-GP Miguel Indurain
-Euskal Herriko Itzulia
-FW
-LBL
-Dauphiné
-Tour

He says he's mainly going to LeTour to learn while aiming as high as possible in the GC. According to himself, he's not yet ready to fight for the win bit he wants to be able to win a GT in the next few years.

Good luck Zakarin!

Nice schedule, Itzulia will be fun.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

i fear for him on the cobbles

Who’s in Kittel’s leadout train for this year? I’d say he’ll be well looked after.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re: Re:

i fear for him on the cobbles

Who’s in Kittel’s leadout train for this year? I’d say he’ll be well looked after.

I imagine guys like Martin, Haller and Hollenstein should be capable of looking after him.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

i fear for him on the cobbles

Who’s in Kittel’s leadout train for this year? I’d say he’ll be well looked after.

I imagine guys like Martin, Haller and Hollenstein should be capable of looking after him.

Also Nils Politt.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

i fear for him on the cobbles

Who’s in Kittel’s leadout train for this year? I’d say he’ll be well looked after.

I imagine guys like Martin, Haller and Hollenstein should be capable of looking after him.

It was just after I posted that I remembered Tony Martin was a) a Katusha rider now and b) pretty handy on cobbles these days.

 

[Breh]

TdF top5 would be nice. I have no clue how he'll handle the cobbles. The TTT should be fine. Descents will cause no problems because it's the July Group Ride. And I feel like the climbs should suit him.


But I'd like to see an actual win this year

 

[Pennino]

Very funny isn't it? All those vulnerable GC lightweights have decent cobble masters at their disposal so in the end nothing will happen. But at least a small glance of hope will glue us to the screen all day.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re:

Very funny isn't it? All those vulnerable GC lightweights have decent cobble masters at their disposal so in the end nothing will happen. But at least a small glance of hope will glue us to the screen all day.

QS might, Jungels should be albe to survive, same goes for Lotto-Soudal and Benoot if they want that white jersey, Nibali (if he wants to win) should try something aswell, given how great it went last time.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Very funny isn't it? All those vulnerable GC lightweights have decent cobble masters at their disposal so in the end nothing will happen. But at least a small glance of hope will glue us to the screen all day.

QS might, Jungels should be albe to survive, same goes for Lotto-Soudal and Benoot if they want that white jersey, Nibali (if he wants to win) should try something aswell, given how great it went last time.

A lot will depend on the weather. 2014 was in a downpour, the bunch got shredded, Movistar et al lost buckets of time, Froome didn’t even make it to the cobbles, and Nibali skated over the tops of the cobbles like bike-Jesus, just behind a cyclocross world champ. 2015 was dry, so even Quintana and Froome were able to put in attacks along the way on some of the sectors before Tony Martin’s winning attack came after the final stones.

 

[Breh]

A second kid is on the way and it's a boy!
Congratulations to Ilnur and Viktoria.

Less than a month untill he starts racing again and we get an idea of his form.

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

He's lost a big chance. The giro this year is easier "technically" (less descents, cobbles) than the tour.

 

[markene2]

So, the TDF is starting tomorrow, i predict that Zak will podium it if he survives the cobbles.

 

[The Barb]

Would love to see him do well but fear for how much time he might lose in the first nine stages.

If he does (lose a big chunk of time) I hope he focuses on KOTM, which would be well within his reach, rather than trying for a meaningless 9th or 10th place.

 

[Moviefan1203]

He’s steady rider who goes well in the third week of a grand tour, but his team worries me.

 

[yaco]

Unless Zakharin has been foxing in the lead up races, he is a million miles away from a podium

 

[DBotero]

His best climbing result this season was a 7th place on the Dauphine at 1min of Thomas,while I can't remember a great TT from him lately.Adding the pour team the things looks very bleak

 

[markene2]

Have some faith guys, no one is saying the same about Nibali, Zaka was infront of him in the Dauphine

 

[SafeBet]

Nice to see him not bleed time today. I'm worried about him in such hectic finales. If he gets to stage 10 in one piece he's got a serious shot at the podium.

 

[markene2]

Zaka 2.42 behind in GC podium is for the taking