Under the radar is how one can characterize Zartosht Yaghoubi the best. He somehow managed to stay unnoticed to local authorities, which is really something in Iran. Nobody heard of him until Team Legends offered the rider for sale. What followed was a transfer back to his home country, to Team Oasis. Apparently he was born and raised in Rasht, the rest remains unclear.
Zartosht had some talent and could be trained as hilly sprinter. Unfortunately he didn’t seem to push himself enough. Both his sprint and hill skills were good but that was about it. Later on, in an attempt to make something more out of Zartosht, he was sent to other training camps. There again he didn’t push himself to the limit, but whatever training he received he got along with it for a while. In the end it was a matter of either letting him experience some cobbles or develop his tt-skills. Team Oasis choose for ti...
Read moreUnder the radar is how one can characterize Zartosht Yaghoubi the best. He somehow managed to stay unnoticed to local authorities, which is really something in Iran. Nobody heard of him until Team Legends offered the rider for sale. What followed was a transfer back to his home country, to Team Oasis. Apparently he was born and raised in Rasht, the rest remains unclear.
Zartosht had some talent and could be trained as hilly sprinter. Unfortunately he didn’t seem to push himself enough. Both his sprint and hill skills were good but that was about it. Later on, in an attempt to make something more out of Zartosht, he was sent to other training camps. There again he didn’t push himself to the limit, but whatever training he received he got along with it for a while. In the end it was a matter of either letting him experience some cobbles or develop his tt-skills. Team Oasis choose for time trail even though Zartosht expressed his doubts. He refused to train further after one session.
This refusal did not lead to a dismissal as he had gotten quite good overall. Zartosht could fill the gap that Jude Evans left behind. He scored a result here and there and was fairly reliable. Yet something remarkable was too much to ask for. Team Oasis noticed that during the World Championship in Season 31, where he had an sudden offday. He only stepped into the limelight more than a week later at Haugesund Rundtur. That season was his best.
He certainly was, with the release value he represented, a subject to consider for a transfer. It sprung to mind at Oasis every once and a while but was just as easily forgotten. So Zartosht carried on till the call was finally made in season 35. He then continued his journey to the faraway Columbiero team to participate in the lower ranks of OCM. It was how Zartosht liked it the most, staying out of sight of the big public.
His next stop was at his true home, Team Legends, that reappeared in OCM. We never know what happened there and made him leave. It would have been a nice place to end his carreer. Zartosht popped up some time later in Mexico. He joined JOZE SHUI for an anonymous end to his career. The team was inactive for a long time with Zartosht aboard, but made a return and promoted Zartosht to trainer at the age of 40.
Iran