Russia (bbabo.net), - The victory of the Russian men is especially impressive. The previous time the national team won the men's Olympic relay back in 1980 in Lake Placid, USA.

And now, 42 years later, a new triumph, and unconditional.

Sergei Ustyugov, who ran the last stage, broke away from the closest pursuer, Norwegian Johannes Klebo, for more than a minute and could afford to cross the finish line, holding the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee in one hand.

Immediately after the race, we asked the head coach of our national team Yuri Borodavko, who remembers the success of 42 years ago, if he could have imagined that the next one would have to wait almost half a century.

- Of course, I remember that victory very well, - Yuri Viktorovich answered. -

These were our great skiers. But even today, according to the selection, we again have the strongest skiers on the planet. It's a big sport. Each generation tried to achieve bright and significant victories, but it did not always work out. Now we have some great guys who can do it. Let's hope these successes come to us for a long time.

Snowfall is ours

The composition of the men's relay team was predicted in advance, except for one person. The last stage was still entrusted to run to Sergei Ustyugov, who, for health reasons, could not go to the start of the skiathlon, and then unsuccessfully performed in the sprint, failing to reach the final due to the wrong tactics.

Ustyugov himself bitterly stated that he had missed the chance of a lifetime. But the coaching staff, headed by the President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, Elena Vyalbe, gave Sergey another one. And Los, as the fans respectfully call Ustyugov, did not disappoint. However, like the whole team.

On the day of the relay race, an unprecedented snowfall began in Beijing. Prior to this, there were dry sunny days in the Chinese capital for two weeks, and here it is. In the mountains, snowfall at times turned into a wall of snow. Skiers in this situation could only sympathize: the servicemen of all teams were preparing ointments for artificial snow, which laid all the tracks, and then the real one started.

It seems that the weather conditions are equal for everyone, but not quite. It was more difficult for those who were in the lead, because the ski track was again covered with powder, despite the fact that the stadium workers periodically tried to clear the track.

And our team intended exactly what to lead. This was the plan: to try to break away from competitors, mainly Norwegians, so that at the last stage the super finisher Johannes Klebo could no longer get our Ustyugov. And the tactic worked.

As Sasha Bolshunov said later at a press conference, the more difficult the conditions, the better for us. And now, after the first two classical stages, Chervotkin and Bolshunov “brought” a minute to the Norwegians. Denis Spitsov, who left for the third skating stage, had only to keep this lead for Ustyugov. The task is not easy, because he was opposed by one of the best skaters in the world, Hans Christer Holund. The difficulty was that Spitsov was running all alone, and Holund was in a group with a couple of skiers. It is much easier, especially in such severe weather. But Denis coped, including psychologically.

“Today is the hardest race in my entire career,” Spitsov admitted. “Never in my life have I been so tuned in to a relay race. I was banged up for two days. I have never been so jittery, neither before personal nor before relay races, because I understood: today is a real chance to win a gold medal. When I saw the weather forecast, it got even busier, but the service was great today.

Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news »

Moose was told to slow down

Despite the huge advantage that Sergey Ustyugov got, his stage made the coaches worry. According to Borodavko, the skier took too fast a pace from the very start, and he even had to hold it back a little. However, for Klebo Ustyugov was already out of reach.

I watched the final race a few meters from the finish line and, to be honest, I was even a little surprised by the restrained joy of our guys. You should have seen how the French celebrated their "bronze". And ours have strong hugs, pats.

But Elena Vyalbe did not keep joy in herself. She hugged the guys again, and after the awards ceremony, she completely started dancing. I also had time to talk to reporters.

Elena Valerievna, you are probably now especially happy for Sergei Ustyugov?

Elena Vyalbe: Let's not single anyone out. I'm just happy for the team.

Do you remember the 1980 victory?

Elena Vyalbe: I was little then. Then I reviewed it. It had its own story, and we write our own.

On a ten-point scale, how would you rate the emotions of today's success?

Elena Vyalbe: I don't know. But the Olympics are not over yet. Now Sasha said such good words, they say, but we like China. Now it is a second home. So we're still fighting here.

At what point were the races especially excited?Elena Vyalbe: I was worried all the time, but it’s not like there was something so nervous. Already at the second stage, I thought that everything would be fine. Probably the first time we had a panic in the fourth stage, when everyone shouted that Sergey started very quickly. Stop it, stop it. And I think to myself: maybe a person has a superstate. But even the other guys then said: Seryoga should start calmly, without emotions, because it covers.

When his gap was reduced to 40 seconds, did you worry?

Elena Vyalbe: No. I understand that Sergei was stopped. To, God forbid, get up.

Was it especially hard for Spitsov today?

Elena Vyalbe: Denis said that it was very difficult for him. But, frankly, he loves to run in the herd. And here Denis was alone. And it was hard on the descents, even though the layers were working.

Back to news »

Nika won the victory

A day earlier, the women's team paved the way to relay gold. Yulia Stupak, Natalia Nepryaeva, Tatyana Sorina and Veronika Stepanova left behind the national teams of Germany and Sweden, and the Norwegians, led by the genius of world skiing Teresa Johaug, were left without medals at all.

The finish of Stepanova, who ran the fourth stage, is pure emotions. The voices of Sorina and Nepryaeva rang throughout the ski stadium, Stupak sobbed on her knees, and then everything was blocked by an almost bestial "Yeah!" Veronica, who fell into the arms of her friends. A moment later, all four were hugged by the snow-white down jacket of the president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, Elena Vyalbe.

One can rejoice in this way only when victory has been won, when it is long-awaited. And we have been waiting for 16 years: the last time the Russians won the relay at the Olympics and World Championships in Turin-2006. Of course, the preconditions for the current triumph were. The only baton in the current season of the World Cup in the Norwegian Lillehammer was taken by the Russians, and in the same composition. And yet, before the Olympic start, it was alarming. Each of the quartet faced problems. And yet the girls did it.

The first stage and the last became decisive. On the first one, our slaughterer Stupak secured a lead over the main competitors, Swedes, Finns and Norwegians. “The mood was to break everyone. I felt strength and desire. I thought to myself, I want this medal already. And it’s gold.” The Germans were on a par with the Russians, but they were not the main rivals of our team that day.

At the victorious press conference, Stepanova smiled into the microphone: "How did it look from the outside? Was there any intrigue?" If there was, it evaporated at the fourth stage in the phenomenal performance of Veronica. In the same way, Nika dealt with her rivals in Lillehammer, intelligently distributing her forces at a distance. She did the same trick in Beijing.

And who will now say a word about Stepanova's resonant December post on social networks that she spent her prize money for winning in Lillehammer on a business class flight. Winners are not judged. By the way, Nika became the youngest skier in history to win the "gold" of the Games.

Back to news »

Fan Zone

The correspondent talked to the mother of Olympic champion Veronika Stepanova.

Anna Aleksandrovna, congratulations, you are now the mother of an Olympic champion! Please share your first impressions.

Anna Stepanova: When I saw who would run the relay as part of the opposing teams - Norway, Sweden - I became very worried. When I watched the race, I was worried about Yulia Stupak and Tatyana Sorina. For some reason, I was not so worried about Nepryaeva, I was more confident in her. And, of course, she was worried about her daughter. I have a lot of guests today. Now they are sitting and playing loto (laughs). Everyone is playing except me. Everyone is resting, but I'm still on emotions.

And how many times have you already watched the relay race?

Anna Stepanova: Three times! First we rewound to her stage. And then we also reviewed it on Channel One - literally now they repeated it.

Is Veronica's younger sister also a beginner skier?

Anna Stepanova: Yes. At the age of five, we first went to dances. But she, looking at Veronica, changed her mind and said that she wanted to be like a sister. Although they cannot be compared - they have different temperaments. But both have such a quality as the will to win.

Is it true that from the windows of your house you can see not only Kamchatka volcanoes, but also the ski base where Veronika took her first steps on the ski track?

Anna Stepanova: Now we have already moved from that house. But really, where we lived when Veronika was little, there was a ski base across the street from us. And now, at a new place of residence, Koryaksky and Avachinsky volcanoes are clearly visible from her room.

Wasn't it difficult for Veronica to be torn between studies and sports?Anna Stepanova: You know, there are not so many tasks during the holidays, and at that time she was leaving for the camp. And the rest of the time I just came from school, rested, went to training, and then returned and did my homework - somewhere before 10-11 o'clock. Somehow it came easy to her. I was worried about the exam, but everything went fine. Veronika entered the university - ours, Kamchatka. Now in the last course. And this, you understand, is not easy - you already have to write a thesis, but there is not enough time.

What does he study?

Anna Stepanova: Ecology and nature management. Somewhere in the 9th-11th grades, she developed an interest in the natural sciences. They tried to dissuade me, they wanted to give it to the physical education. But Veronica insisted that she needed a "civilian" profession, and you can unlearn to be a coach in absentia.

bbabo.Net