Cross-country skiing Malinovka – Alexander Bolshunov won the 50 km marathon at Champion Heights, Ustyugov – third, review, results today March 5, 2023 – March 5, 2023

“Champion Heights” (an alternative world championship) in Kononovskaya ended with a men’s 50-kilometer mass start in the classical style. The starting protocol was not particularly impressive – 24 names (one region can declare no more than 4 athletes), but only 21 went into the race. Three withdrew, including one of the contenders for medals – Anton Timashov.

For the first 10 km nothing interesting happened. The leaders only changed there (they were able to steer the race: Ilya Semikov, Sergey UstyugovAlexander Ivshin, Alexey Chervotkin and Alexander Bolshunov) and the peloton was gradually torn. By this cut-off, 16 skiers remained in contenders for medals.

By the 20-kilometer race, only 11 skiers remained in the lead. At some point in the race, Bolshunov went into the shadows, scaring his fans. It seemed that San Sanych caught the crisis, but it soon turned out that it was just a game. He stepped forward and even tried to break away. Although the Olympic champion could not escape from his rivals (Chervotkin did not allow him), the attempt was beautiful.

The next breakthrough in the head of the group happened at 25 km: Chervotkin, Semikov and Ustyugov decided to arrange a passport check. This trio turned out much better than Bolshunov. The skiers not only rolled away from their rivals, but also completely broke off the group in which they were going. Bolshunov was not able to catch up with the leaders immediately, but in the end he approached them anyway. The rest are hopelessly behind.

The top four stratified after changing skis at 35 kilometers. Everyone, except Ustyugov, drove into the pits, which allowed Sergei to break away from his opponents a little. True, the Olympic champion did not last long in the first position. Chervotkin and Bolshunov approached him and soon moved him to the third position. Semikov, on the other hand, hesitated so much to change the equipment that he caught a clearance from Bolshunov and Chervotkin. And at that moment, when he almost closed it, San Sanych gave a powerful broach, which in the end cost the Komi representative a medal. With every kilometer Semikov began to lag behind more and more. With 10 km to go, he lost 18 seconds, and then the handicap rose to 40.

Ustyugov on stale skis was noticeably harder than Bolshunov and Chervotkin. Elk, as his fans affectionately call him, lagged behind, but on the moral and strong-willed again returned to the group of leaders. On the 44th kilometer Sergey lost 13.5 seconds. It seemed like a death sentence, but the second wind allowed him to close the gap to 7.6. It seemed that he could approach his rivals and increase the intrigue at the finish line, but still he did not get up close behind them. The decision not to change skis seems to have been a mistake. He himself admitted that he simply missed this moment. Ustyugov got bronze, but he was very pleased with it. And the fans should thank Sergey for decorating the marathon and keeping the intrigue to the end.

Bolshunov and Chervotkin resolved the issue of gold between themselves, not reaching the finish line. On one of the descents, San Sanych drove away from Alexei, who outwardly looked exhausted. There was a gap between the skiers in the stadium, which was already impossible to close. Chervotkin lost 4 seconds, becoming the second. Bolshunov, after the championship in the skiathlon and marathon, became the “king of skis”, as was the case at the Beijing Olympics.

“Champion Heights”. Kononovskaya

Mass start, 50 km (classic). Men

1. Alexander Bolshunov — 2:06.11,0
2. Alexey Chervotkin — +4,3
3. Sergey Ustyugov — +21,0
4. Ilya Semikov — +46,3
5. Evgeny Belov – +3.07.6
6. Ilya Poroshkin – +4.10.8
7. Alexander Grebenko – +4.11.3
8. Sergey Ardashev – +5.04.1
9. Dmitry Zhul – +5.10.7
10. Viktor Jules — +5.55,1…

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