Ilnur Zakarin has been one of the big revelations of the 2014 season. In his final race as a Rusvelo rider, he finished third in the GP Beghelli before he joins Katusha for the 2015 season.

RusVelo rider Ilnur Zakarin made it to the podium of the 18th Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli (1.HC), finishing third just behind Valerio Conti (Lampre-Merida) and Kristijan Koren (Cannondale). It was the farewell race with the squad for Zakarin who will ride for Katusha next season. Ivan Balykin stayed in the front to finish the 186.8 km-long course in 9th; Kirill Pozdnyakov spent 150 km in a breakaway collecting most of the special sprints points.

RusVelo DS Sergey Honchar said:

“There is always something special about placing high in a final race of a season. The team tactics determined at the briefing worked well. We had three candidates for a break of the day, and one of them, Kirill Pozdnyakov, made a selection, making it possible for the teammates not to chase and to spare their energy for the finale. Kirill didn’t limit himself to this, winning the special sprints competition along the way.

"Then it was a turn of three others to show their worth: we picked out Balykin for a bunch sprint, Lagutin and Zakarin for a late solo. Sergey Lagutin attacked downhill with another guy, and they were caught just 1.5 km to go. As soon as the remnants of the pack reeled them in, an attack of the three future podium placers immediately followed. Ilnur and his late surge companions hanged on by a thread, thanks to the last sharp turn. The peloton was coming back quickly and missed its chance by just a mere second. Now the riders will have a well-deserved off-season break, and the sports directors are sitting down to map out the pre-season strategy."