Anniversary victory of Bolshunov

The first stage of the World Cup in Falun was notable for the return of Johannes Hösflot Klebo.

The Norwegian has run only three races this season, while wearing the yellow leader's jersey.

For various reasons, he missed all the other competitions, but he still came to neighboring Sweden, despite the frosty weather that had settled there in recent days.

How important the arrival of the three-time Olympic champion was, confirmed the behavior of Russian skiers before the first race in Falun.

Most of them were able to choose their start numbers in the 15K individual skating style race, and all decided to go the distance right after Klebo.

The most convenient way to focus on the Norwegian's time was Alexander Bolshunov - at the beginning of the race they were separated by only a minute.

If the Norwegians finally got together with their strongest squad, then the Russians just had an unplanned loss before the race.

Alexey Chervotkin injured his leg and was forced to withdraw from the competition.

But it was he who most actively fought Klebo in the November cut with the classic move and showed the best move after him.

Chervotkin was replaced by Ilya Poroshkin, who was brought to Falun for the Saturday mass start.

When the race began, Klebo suddenly turned out to be not such a dangerous opponent for the Russians.

Already at the first mark of 1.8 km, he lost to many skiers, including Sergei Ustyugov, whose form, after an unsuccessful relay in Lahti, still caused questions.

Soon Bolshunov ran on the same legs with Ustyugov, and even faster than both of them, Ivan Yakimushkin.

At the next cutoffs, Bolshunov was already confidently leading, and Yakimushkin had to be content with second place.

Klebo steadily occupied the third line, but at the same time lagged further and further behind the Russians.

At the 12.8 km mark, the World Cup leader was even able to bypass the Norwegian, that is, he played a minute lag from the start.

Klebo could only dutifully sit behind Bolshunov and run the rest of the distance with him.

But the Russian skiers should not forget about the other Norwegians, who showed all their strength last week.

Simen Kruger, Schur Röthe and Hans Holund at the first marks dropped Yakimushkin to fifth place.

While the owner of the yellow jersey was overcoming the last lap, Kruger was even able to approach him at a distance of 4.5 seconds - it was a very alarming bell.

At the 11.3 km mark, Kruger lost more than 10 seconds, but he worked brilliantly on the following climbs.

With each kilometer, he rapidly approached Bolshunov, and 900 meters before the finish line they were separated by only 0.7 seconds.

But the Russian spent the last part of the distance better and won the 25th victory in his career, winning 1.8 seconds over Kruger.

Bronze went to Rieta, who snatched it from Holund.

The second of the Russians was Yakimushkin, who took fifth place.

Klebo ended up with the seventh result. 

Return of Stupak and Nepryaeva's injury

For Russian girls, the 10-kilometer cut was unsuccessful.

Yulia Stupak, who returned to the national team after a cold, did not make it into the top ten, and Natalya Nepryaeva could not even go the entire distance - on the last loop she fell on the descent and injured her arm.

Although according to the initial layouts, the Russians could compete for medals.

They started later than most of the favorites and could be guided by their results.

But already at the first cutoffs, it became clear that Stupak and Nepryaeva would not be able to compete with either half a dozen Swedish skiers, nor with the Norwegians led by Teresa Johaug, or the American Jessica Diggins.

By about the middle of the distance, only Johaug and Diggins were fighting for gold.

They took turns swapping places, and at times it seemed that the Norwegian would not miss her chance to win her fourth race of the season.

However, the American skier had her trump card in the form of excellent finishing acceleration.

Thanks to him, the World Cup leader snatched two seconds from Johaug and inflicted her first defeat in distance races.

The third result was shown by the Swede Ebba Andersson.

Stupak finished 11th - 1: 10.5 behind Diggins.

Of the Russians, only Yana Kirpichenko and Anna Nechaevskaya, who took 25th and 29th places, got into the top thirty.

Nepryaeva was forced to withdraw from the race in the last kilometers of the distance and go straight to the doctors.