"Hats off to his talent": Panzhinsky - about the uniqueness of Bolshunov, Klebo's fatigue and Stupak's prospects

"Klebo surrendered and realized: winning is unrealistic"

- Yulia Stupak and Alexander Bolshunov won the gold double at the World Cup in Engadine.

Why at the planetary championship in personal races we could only count on Alexander?

- I think the Russians came out to their strength.

Stupak managed to please in the absence of a couple of strong rivals.

Tatiana Sorina, as well as at the World Cup, got into the top 10, Natalia Nepryaeva settled down a little further.

Perhaps she needs time to recover.

The men also did not have any surprises.

It is clear that he is a cut above the rest of the Bolshuns.

The sixth was Artyom Maltsev, who performed with dignity at the world championship in the 15 km race.

- Could skiers have reached the final stage with less motivation?

After all, there is practically no intrigue left on the CM.

- For women, this is absolutely impossible to talk about.

Jessica Diggins won the Big Crystal Globe for the first time in her career.

Ebba Anderson and Rosie Brennen are fighting for second place overall with Stupak.

Plus, those who failed to win medals at the World Cup were determined.

It's mid-March, usually the season ends much later, so everyone wants to have time to prove themselves at a high level and earn additional prize money.

The same goes for men.

Believe me, each stage of the World Cup is in itself a significant and weighty competition.

Nobody goes to the start after sleeves.

- Bolshunov took part in all World Cup races.

Were you surprised that he seemed so fresh at the Engadine mass start?

- Sasha surprises not only me, but also his rivals.

It seems to me that he manages to recover from the race, giving interviews to journalists at the finish line.

And then Bolshunov is ready to run again.

Indeed, he went through all types of World Cup programs at the highest level, but in a few days he completely recovered.

On Saturday, Sasha went to the start fresh and vigorous.

With each repulsion, one could feel his charge to fight and win.

Bolshunov's body is so powerful that all that remains is to give a standing ovation and take off his hat to his talent.

- It turns out that the rivals of the Russian do not have such an ability?

He easily escaped even from Johannes Klebo.

- Alexander turned out to be much stronger than everyone.

And the weather allowed him to show his strengths.

It was very comfortable for Bolshunov to work on the firm track.

In addition, the stadium in Engadine is located in the mountains at an altitude of 1800 meters: many are simply "turned off" here, the muscles acidify much faster.

Those with less developed aerobic qualities have a harder time.

Klebo just got burned on this.

On the descent, he did not have time to regain strength, while a few seconds were enough for the Russian.

As a result, he ran away from his rivals with every push.

- How easily Bolshunov left Klebo testifies to his strength or the weakness of the Norwegian?

- The tipping point happened at the beginning of the last lap.

It was clear that Johannes gave up and realized that it was unrealistic to win.

He turned out to be the only one who was able to support Bolshunov's jerk, but realized that for more than three kilometers such a pace was simply not enough.

The Scandinavian waited for the pursuit group and finished with it at a more comfortable pace, once again demonstrating the signature sprint.

- It turns out that Alexander may well beat the eminent Norwegian if he breaks away from him several kilometers before the finish line?

- He already surpasses him, but in every race, of course, it is impossible to do this.

There is no ready-made recipe for success here, because the competition is held in different conditions.

In the Engadine there are mountains, and in Oberstdorf there was a plain and a soft track due to the freezing temperatures.

Yes, and skis can work well today, but not tomorrow.

Perhaps a few days ago Bolshunov would not have been able to make such a leap, but on Saturday he did it.

- Klebo at the finish line admitted that the scandal after the marathon at the World Cup had a negative impact on him ...

“I don’t think it burned out.

Nevertheless, he took second place and beat everyone except our athlete.

Johannes is a strong and mentally resilient skier.

I'm sure he didn't have any problems.

- The coach of the Norwegian national team

Eirik Muir Nossum said after the race that Bolshunov should be admired.

A kind of ax of war with the Scandinavians buried?

- In my opinion, this story is inflated by journalists.

There is no war between the teams.

There is only a rivalry between the two strongest ski powers and the strongest athletes in the world.

And the media representatives warm up the topic and ask a lot of relevant questions.

I am sure the guys treat each other with respect.

Look: Alexander even invited Klebo to the wedding.

Another significant moment: after the end of the mass start, Paul Golberg approached Evgeny Belov and helped him get up, shake off the snow.

- But there was also a mutual exchange of barbs before and during the World Cup.

- Perhaps the problem is that many Russian skiers do not speak English, including Bolshunov.

So it remains to communicate through an online translator.

Hence the misunderstanding.

People simply cannot have a one-on-one conversation and discuss some nuances.

But respect is there, and this is the most important thing.

Just because one Norwegian makes ugly statements does not mean that they all think the same.

- Have you always had communication problems?

- I have taken part in the World Cup for more than one season and have never faced disrespect from the Norwegians.

On the contrary, if you show good results, they will always come up and say hello themselves.

The Scandinavians express their respect to you as a strong athlete.

At one time, I closely communicated with several representatives of this team, corresponded with them.

One person even came to our camp and prepared nearby.

Nikita Kryukov, on the contrary, went to the training camp with them.

Perhaps Bolshunov simply lacks knowledge of the language.

He is probably a somewhat specific, rather closed person.

He does not need to make rivals as friends.

"Stupak's potential is such that Johaug is worth fearing."

- What is the main secret of Stupak's success?

- Firstly, do not forget that Teresa Johaug and Frida Carlson missed the girls' mass start.

In the current season, they took first places in almost all personal distance races.

And the Swede and in the marathon at the World Cup became the third.

If they had started, Stupak could well have lost a couple of positions.

But the main thing is that Julia won.

Secondly, she likes the classic style and short, ten-kilometer mass starts are more suitable.

At the world championships and the Olympic Games, the program is somewhat different.

There, a similar discipline is held at a longer distance, and, for example, the short 10 km race in Oberstdorf was run in a skating style.

Thirdly, the track turned out to be tougher than during the World Cup, the weather was frosty.

It was into the hands of the Russian woman.

She got the opportunity to demonstrate all her strength qualities.

Julia is more powerful than most of her rivals.

- The Russian woman was in the lead for most of the race.

There were no fears that she might not have enough strength to finish?

- Given the strong wind, disturbing thoughts flickered.

Julia was leading for about 5 km, and Heidi Veng was sitting behind her.

And we remember how at the World Cup in the relay at the second stage, she just bypassed Stupak and broke away from her for two or three seconds.

But in the Engadine she did not succeed.

The Russian woman attacked and managed to throw the pursuer off her shoulders.

In the mass start, in contrast to the relay, she played her own game and imposed it on her rivals.

- Can we say that the Russian skier conducted the race tactically competently?

- She herself made decisions based on her health and the work of her skis.

On the descents, it was clear that the opponents could not get close to her.

This gave confidence, and there was simply no point in going behind the backs.

- It seemed that skis worked well for all Russians.

- Neither men nor women had any problems, although we can draw conclusions only on the basis of the TV picture.

Everything went perfectly for Bolshunov and Stupak.

I have not heard any complaints.

Christina Matsokina had a fall.

Belov's ski unfastened.

But in these cases, we are talking, rather, about incidents.

And so - thanks to the servicemen.

They worked perfectly.

- Does this victory indicate that Stupak did not receive awards at the World Cup and should add?

- Julia is capable of a lot, and she herself understands it.

One medal at the World Cup, and that one in the relay, is not her level.

Stupak is a very strong and versatile skier.

It is important to understand that this is the first season for her after the birth of a child.

In the next Olympics, she must add.

Its potential is such that Johaug herself is to some extent worth fearing.