Ilnur Zakarin Discussion thread

[Breh]

Started both first weeks of Giro and Vuelta with a +/- 2minute deficit last year.
He's only a minute down on the majority of the GC contenders after a week of nervous racing, cobbles and a TTT.

Easy win.

 

[Jspear]

He does do well in the third week. He’s got a fair shot at the podium.

 

[SafeBet]

I'm very happy he survived the cobbles. He'll be a force in the mountains. My only concern is the weakness of his team.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Would be nice to see a rider like Zaka on the podium, but there are just so many great riders. But I will root for him, but I think the Alps are too early for him to to great stuff.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He has not been riding well all season so today can hardly come as a surprise.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Unfortunate time loss, he was looking good until today

 

[GuyIncognito]

Pretty incredible how often a rider prepares specifically for one race all season, then ends up being worse than the previous season when they had no such major targets or pressure

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

Unfortunate time loss, he was looking good until today

I would not say unfortunate. Other riders were simply stronger.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Pretty incredible how often a rider prepares specifically for one race all season, then ends up being worse than the previous season when they had no such major targets or pressure

Its not easy to just say "im gonna be in top shape during this time" and then just do it. Like you flip a switch.

You can also feel that you did everything you could do to be in top shape but the work you put in might still not come to fruition in the race for a number factors, known and unknown.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Yes, I realize. I guess what I meant is that it fascinates me how we just don't know much about how the body reacts.
Two consecutive seasons you think you've done exactly the same, yet form is completely different.

Remember the 2014 Tour? Majka criticized his team for forcing him to ride because he was exhausted and could barely ride and bla bla. Sucked for a week. Then suddenly he was flying, form of his life

Funny and mystifying.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

Found from page 3 of threads ... perfectly riding a la zubeldia into the Top 10 by the end

 

[Breh]

He just had a son, let's celebrate with a decent performance at the Vuelta.

 

[Lexman]

so what happened yesterday, I read or heard somewhere he crashed yesterday?

 

[Breh]

He crashed with 97km to go. Went to the hospital for a checkup but no fracture was found. Lost about one minute.

He usually fails the first test anyway so it's no problem

 

[Lexman]

OS now he lost 8 minutes, still feeling the effects of his crash or just not in order?

 

[movingtarget]

His race is done. If he recovers he might try for a stage win.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Poor Zaka, wasted season for him. I think he should ride il Giro again next year.

 

[Lexman]

so what happens to him at la Vuelta, is he sick, or just no form?

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

so what happens to him at la Vuelta, is he sick, or just no form?

A bit of both. His form wasn't great but the fall early in the race just made it worse.

 

[Breh]

Indeed. Another victim of the rough times Katusha had this year.
Perhaps he can still do something interesting in Innsbruck or take something from a break in this Vuelta to join the club of GT stage winners.

Im curious about his program for 2019. Eventhough this was his first GC attempt in LeTour this still feels like a year to forget about.

 

[jaylew]

Are we selling his chances short? I know it's Zaka and he's not always the most consistent but he put almost 2 minutes on Mollema after dropping him and I don't think anyone was gaining much if any time on him on the climbs. Didn't he lose some time due to a mechanical earlier in the race?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re:

Are we selling his chances short? I know it's Zaka and he's not always the most consistent but he put almost 2 minutes on Mollema after dropping him and I don't think anyone was gaining much if any time on him on the climbs. Didn't he lose some time due to a mechanical earlier in the race?

I think his main problems will be the descents, Colle San Carlo, the lombardia stage and the Mortirolo. If he survives those stages without crashing/loosing a lot of time he can finish on the podium.

 

[markene2]

Re: Re:

Are we selling his chances short? I know it's Zaka and he's not always the most consistent but he put almost 2 minutes on Mollema after dropping him and I don't think anyone was gaining much if any time on him on the climbs. Didn't he lose some time due to a mechanical earlier in the race?

I think his main problems will be the descents, Colle San Carlo, the lombardia stage and the Mortirolo. If he survives those stages without crashing/loosing a lot of time he can finish on the podium.

Agreed!

 

[Brullnux]

From when he attacked to the end he gained 20s on Landa. yes, landa had been attacking for the 10k previously but zakarin had been up there for the whole day. Very impressive performance

 

[roundabout]

Re: Re:

Are we selling his chances short? I know it's Zaka and he's not always the most consistent but he put almost 2 minutes on Mollema after dropping him and I don't think anyone was gaining much if any time on him on the climbs. Didn't he lose some time due to a mechanical earlier in the race?

I think his main problems will be the descents, Colle San Carlo, the lombardia stage and the Mortirolo. If he survives those stages without crashing/loosing a lot of time he can finish on the podium.

I don't think that it's likely that San Carlo and Mortirolo are going to be a problem