Unplanned stage victory puts Zakarin back into podium contention at Giro d'Italia
Three years have passed since Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) was last on a mountain straddling the Franco-Italian border during the Giro d'Italia, but it was a different kind of experience this time around as he claimed the stage 13 victory at Ceresole Reale to move into third place overall.
Zakarin's podium challenge on the 2016 Giro ended when he sustained a broken collarbone in a heavy crash shortly after crossing from Italy into France atop the Colle dell'Agnello. This time out, the Giro scaled the Colle del Nivolet, where the road peters out somewhere shy of the border, but after taking the stage honours, Zakarin gently dismissed the idea that he had been in some way inspired by the events of three years ago in this corner of the Alps.
"No, why do I need to think about that?" Zakarin said. "I don't think about this."
Zakarin admitted that he had few thoughts, too, about claiming stage victory when the gruppo had set out from Pinerolo on Friday, but he was eyeing an opportunity to move up in the general classification after a subdued display in last weekend's time trial in San Marino. When a break of 25 riders forged clear on the Colle del Lys, Zakarin opted to ad lib and seize the moment.
With Bauke Mollema part of the move, Trek-Segafredo's Giulio Ciccone and Gianluca Brambilla worked to keep the group two minutes clear of the group of favourites ahead of the 20km haul up the Nivolet to Ceresole Reale, where the strongmen gradually came to the fore as the road climbed inexorably above 2,000 metres.
Zakarin had been able to preserve himself as best he could for the Nivolet, and he had only Mollema and Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) for company by the time they scaled its upper reaches. With a little under 5km remaining, Zakarin launched an initial acceleration that saw off Mollema, but Nieve continued to put up fierce resistance. It was only in the last 2km that Zakarin finally managed to inch his way clear of the Basque, claiming the stage by 35 seconds.
Podium contention
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