Just a week ago, the scenario for the World Cup looked very different.
It was preceded by several premieres of a feature film about the president of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation, three-time Olympic champion Elena Vyalba.
Moreover, one of the events was specially organized in Oberstdorf the day before the start of the competition.
In this entourage it was absolutely impossible not to read between the lines: "The time has come for the team to support their president!"
The first half of the championship, despite the gold won in the skiathlon by Alexander Bolshunov, became a statement that it was not too much to support.
After the unsuccessful performance of Yulia Stupak in the skiathlon, Vyalbe was even forced to give a harsh commentary, complaining about the unpreparedness of Marcus Kramer's group for the main start of the season.
“From the very beginning it was clear from his movements that Stupak was out of shape.
Julia doesn't know ... Marcus doesn't say what's going on.
He will think after the championship, now it is difficult to say something.
Nothing can be done now.
Criticism of Kramer?
I have every right to express my personal opinion to him and the media.
I think his team is not ready for the World Cup.
It is clear that Sergei Ustyugov fell, Evgeny Belov failed.
I hope Artyom Maltsev will correct the situation in some way, ”said the head of the FLGR.
The coach responded to that criticism with restraint, admitting that he was also disappointed with the results, especially the representatives of the beautiful half of the national team.
“We have a lot of problems here.
We are glad that everyone who was previously injured can compete at the World Cup.
Of course, we wished for better results, but if you are not in one hundred percent shape, then it is difficult to take the award ... ”, - Kramer complained.
Coaching fate is a terribly ungrateful thing.
While Ustyugov and the same Stupak under the maiden name of Belorukov shone under the guidance of a German specialist, absolutely everything went to the mentor, and above all, an extremely democratic approach to the training process, which was not too familiar for Russian skis.
As soon as the structure swayed, the specialist lost his fulcrum: too many people immediately had the thought “Is Kramer's freeman really so good, if during the championship even the president of the FLGR raises the question of what would be worth limiting the Internet activity of athletes (read, take away tablets and phones, driving everyone into a disciplinary cell)? "
It's just pointless to talk about this when the World Cup reached the equator: when the battle is in full swing, nothing can be changed or corrected.
This is the same sporting axiom as the fact that no trifle during these competitions happens to an athlete just like that.
A few weeks before the start of the World Championship, I talked about cross-country skiing with Alexander Grushin.
Just then, a flurry of all kinds of misfortunes fell on the Russian women's team: Tatyana Sorina broke her ligaments, Natalya Nepryaeva broke her arm, Julia Stupak fell ill.
The legendary specialist then hinted that the negative dynamics resulting from the training or competitive process should be carefully analyzed.
“Sometimes the disease occurs in an athlete as a result of overwork.
At one time, we very closely tracked such things.
If one athlete falls ill - well, anything can happen.
If three fell ill, it means that something in the load does not correspond to the response of the body.
So, as a coach, I am doing something wrong and adjustments need to be made.
As for Sorina, it would be good to understand the reason too.
Is it a coincidence, or a load of power orientation, which we have now begun to actively give to all athletes in a row ... ”, - said Grushin.
If we add to the list of victims those who fell out of action already in Oberstdorf (first of all, these are Sergei Ustyugov and Gleb Retivykh), that is, at the most inopportune moment, thoughts involuntarily arise: for example, a banal coincidence of circumstances turned out to be the fault of the Russian misfortunes.
Difficult track, unbearable weather conditions.
But why then did this attack bypass the foreign teams?
Are they more fortunate, or are they simply better prepared?
Are they more stress-resistant, healthier, or maybe they concentrate better?
They carefully monitor their every step, realizing that the race in Oberstdorf is a chance to write their names in history.
A chance that has not been there for two years and for another two years is not expected.
The current World Cup also makes you wonder how ephemeral ideas about recipes for success can be.
Until recently, it seemed that in Russian skiing, where several strong teams work side-by-side in the national team, such a recipe has been found for sure: someone, of course, can miss the search for peak form, but the likelihood that this will happen is just as high not with everyone.
But, alas: for now, it’s just right to say that only Bolshunov is ready to show results in the Russian team, who is experiencing the same incredible rise at this world championship as Ustyugov in 2017, where he won three gold medals - in the team sprint, skiathlon and on the marathon "fifty kopecks".
Whether Bolshunov will be able to repeat Ustyugov's achievement in Oberstdorf is an open question.
On the one hand, with his phenomenal victory in skiathlon, Alexander convinced the entire skiing world, including the Norwegian one, that he had no equal.
But if you remember the world championship two years ago, there Bolshunov was also ready for victories - everyone recognized this.
After the first two silver races, Sasha made it clear that he considers his double defeat (at the finish of the team sprint - from Johannes Klebo, and in the skiathlon - from Shur Röthe) solely as his own flaw.
But then Bolshunov missed gold at a distance of 50 km (lost to Hans Christer Holund) and received the fourth silver in the relay.
It's just that right now, the last thing you want to do is talk about chances.
I just want to be lucky.