Representatives of cross-country skiing found themselves in a difficult situation before the Olympics. Due to the cancellation of two stages of the World Cup in France and Slovenia, the athletes were left without competitive practice and the ability to control the process of preparing for the main start of the four-year period. Therefore, the coaches of the national teams are now looking for other tournaments in which to take part. Last weekend, three Russians, in particular, performed at the Visma Ski Classics.

Biathlon near Planica

Many skiers still do not understand why the KM stage in Slovenia was cancelled.

So, Russian Veronika Stepanova drew the attention of her Instagram followers that tournaments in other sports, such as biathlon, continue in the country.

“In passing: very upset about the cancellation of the World Cup in Planica.

50 km away, in Pokljuka, the IBU Junior Cup stage started calmly and confidently today.

So, if desired, it was quite possible to hold a stage of the World Cup in cross-country skiing?”

— wrote the athlete.

However, the Slovenian Ski Association emphasized that the junior biathlon competitions and the World Cup in cross-country skiing are completely different events.

A significantly larger number of people would have been involved in preparing the site at Planica.

“These two tournaments cannot be compared.

More than a thousand people would have worked on organizing the competitions in Planica and creating a television signal, and the departure of the teams to Beijing was to take place four days after their end.

If someone got infected, they would have to stay in Slovenia for ten days.

In the current epidemiological situation, 100% safety cannot be guaranteed.

Unvaccinated people will sooner or later become infected due to the high degree of virulence of the virus and risky contacts that will lead to the quarantine of a large number of other people, including foreign athletes, ”TASS quoted the statement.

According to the president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, Elena Vyalbe, the cancellation of the World Cup stages will negatively affect the preparation of all teams for the Olympic Games.

“Yes, it’s a shame, it’s not good, but everyone found themselves in such a situation.

Let's not speculate on this.

Each country finds ways out of the situation and trains taking into account the fact that there are no such starts, ”Vyalbe said on Match TV.

Marathon runners beat Olympians

The Russian cross-country skiing team after the Tour de Ski went to a training camp in mid-mountain conditions in Italy, divided into two groups. Coach Markus Kramer decided to take the opportunity to enter his team at the Visma Ski Classics. One of the races of the La Venosta Time Trial series was just scheduled for January 15 in the Vallelunga valley. True, due to the lack of snow, the organizers had to significantly change the format of the stage: instead of a mass start of 75 kilometers, skiers were waiting for a classic “cutting” of 10 kilometers uphill. The race of this format in the marathon series was held for the first time in history.   

Six Russians from the Olympic team expressed their desire to compete in the Winter Classic.

However, not everyone eventually managed to get to the start, since participation in this race was possible only as part of marathon teams.

Sergey Ustyugov and Tatyana Sorina joined Team Futura Alta Quota Trentino, and Anastasia Rygalina joined the Russian Winter Team.

For Yulia Stupak, Khristina Matsokina and Artyom Maltsev, the coaching staff could not find a suitable team. 

However, representatives of the Olympic team failed to show high results in the race.

The best of the three was Rygalina.

She took seventh place and after the finish she compared the distance with climbing the Alpe Cermis.

“I probably just experienced the same feelings today as at the mountain stage of the Tour de Ski.

Because here, too, there was a finishing climb, which you run when your legs are already failing.

You try, but the height, the breath is not enough.

It was not easy, ”the athlete admitted.

Speaking about her physical condition, Rygalina noted that she is not yet in the form that is needed at the Beijing Olympics.

Tatyana Sorina was dissatisfied with the race.

The silver medalist of the World Championship came to the finish line tenth, unable to cope with the chosen pace.

“I thought that this distance is very convenient for me.

But it was very hard.

Maybe this is due to the fact that they didn’t fit in this race and the start was uphill.

Probably went over the pace a little.

This is the first time I run on this track and in general I participate in this format for the first time.

This distance is probably difficult because it runs at high altitude, the finish line is at an altitude of two thousand meters, ”said the athlete.

Olga Tsareva was able to bypass the representatives of the Olympic team.

The repeated champion of the country, speaking at the Ski Classics for the Russian Winter Team, took fourth place. 

Sergei Ustyugov had an unpleasant incident during the warm-up before the start.

He broke the stick and had to go to the start with another pair, less comfortable, as he later admitted.

Perhaps this explains not the highest result of the athlete - 39th place.

However, the skier was pleased that he was finally able to compete.

Unlike his teammates, he missed the Tour de Ski and the last time he went to the start of official competitions last year.

“Have done well.

I can not say that for me the race was successful.

I take it as a workout.

Then we return to the collection and then we will go to Beijing.

Perhaps there will be more control starts.

It’s very hard for me to train, I’m already tired.

I want to finally start racing.

A month without starts is hard, ”said Sergey.

Almost two minutes bypassed Ustyugov and took third place in the "cutting" Ermil Vokuev.

As a native of the Komi Republic admitted, rivalry with representatives of the Olympic team became an additional motivation for him.

“I wanted to show my strength.

To prove that we are not weak either.

Although we don’t play in the World Cup, ”said the Russian.

However, not all skiers, like Ustyugov, strive to compete at the training camp.

So, Stepanova admitted that, together with her coaches, she did not see the point in taking part in La Venosta Time Trial.

Instead, the athlete trained with Petter Northug.

The two-time Olympic champion shared his most striking gestures, which he had previously shown at the finish line.

“She can be dangerous at the Olympics.

Even more dangerous after this, ”the Norwegian wrote on his Instagram, commenting on the workout.

View this post on Instagram

Posted by Petter Northug Jr (@jantelov1)

The leaders of the national team Alexander Bolshunov and Natalya Nepryaeva, who are training in Toblakh, have not yet taken part in the races.

According to the coach of the national team Yuri Borodavko, skiers have not yet planned to participate in official starts.

“Before departure to Beijing, no official tournaments are planned yet.

There will be control trainings, but there are no competitions, ”TASS specialist quotes.

The Russian cross-country skiing team will fly to the Olympics in Beijing on January 29 on a direct flight from Milan.