The Russian cyclist Ilnur Zakarin, third in the Vuelta a España in 2017, announced on Thursday the end of his career with “immediate effects”, due to the expulsion of the Gazprom team from all competitions after the invasion of Ukraine.
Zakarin had planned to retire at the end of this season, but the sanction imposed on Russia’s Gazpromteam he entered in 2021, led the cyclist to anticipate the decision to retire.
I officially announce the end of my sports career. I am ready to move on, this will be a new stage and a new beginning. I am beginning a new stage in my life, linked to sports, ”he said on his social networks.
The Russian cyclist highlighted the bet that He will do it in Inex Club, a team that he formed for “cycling lovers”guaranteeing that “it will give the maximum”.
In his career, Zakarin finished the 2017 Vuelta in third place, behind the British Chris Froome and the Italian Vincenzo Nibali, and won two stages in the Tour of Italy, plus one stage in the Tour de France. He won the Tour of Romandy in 2015 and the Tour of Azerbaijan in 2014, having represented Katusha, RusVelo, CCC and Gazprom.
Source: Observadora
