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Alexander Bolshunov dominated the 30km skiathlon from halfway through the classic leg in the 30-kilometer skiathlon at the 2022 Olympics. The 25-year-old Russian cruised to the finish line, smiling and greeting the few spectators at the arena and still won by one minute and 16 seconds. 

Bolshuov was every bit as superior in the men’s skiathlon as Therese Johaug was in the women’s 15km skiathlon yesterday. He led after the first lap, and after changing to skating, there was never a question about the gold medal: it belonged to Alexander the Great.

“I really cant believe it. It still hasn’t sunk in that this all happened. But to be honest, in the past, it has been a really difficult road. But I believed in myself. I believed that I was able to do it. And I am happy that I was able to accomplish this in the first race here,” Bolshunov says after the victory in the 30-kilometer skiathlon at the Zhangjiakou arena in China.

Teammate Denis Spitsov and Finland’s Iivo Niskanen were left to fight over the rest of the medals. Even that battle was soon determined in Spitsov’s favor. 

Top 3, 30km skiathlon men
1. Alexander Bolshunov, Russia, 1:16:09.8
2. Denis Spitsov, Russia, +1:11.0
3. Iivo Niskanen, Finland, +2:00.2

Complete results

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A different version of Bolshunov
Bolshunov is coming off a rough dryland season marred by a seemingly never-ending series of accidents, injuries and illness, followed by unstable results in the first part of the season. It was easy to see that winning the gold medal in the first event at the Olympics is a huge relief. 

However, prior to the 2022 Olympics, Russia’s national team head coach Markus Kramer stated that he had great confidence in both Bolshunov and the rest of the Russian men selected for the 2022 Olympics. 

“Bolshunov has had a lot of trouble and a lot of health problems leading up to this season. There have been injuries and illness, and then the issues this with the teeth at the end of the fall. So, he was not quite at his best in the first part of the season. But he has trained well in recent weeks, so I think we will see another version of him in the Olympics,” Kramer said to ProXCskiing.

Huge pressure on Norway
After Therese Johaug’s crushing victory in the women’s 15km skiathlon yesterday, the Norwegian men’s team stepped up to the start line today with both sky-high expectations and the favorites label weighing on their shoulders: 

In the 30km skiathlon at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea, Norway claimed the entire podium. However, of the podium trio from 2018, only bronze medalist Hans Christer Holund raced today’s skiathlon at the Zhangjiakou arena in China. 

Title defender from 2018, Simen Hegstad Krüger, is in isolation in Italy after testing positive for Covid-19 just prior to the planned departure for China. Silver medalist Martin Johnsrud Sundby is one of the commentators in the TV studio in Oslo. 

In addition to Holund, the Norwegian team to the skiathlon consisted of Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Sjur Røthe and Pål Golberg. Holund was fourth, 2:30.9 behind Bolshunov. Golberg was fifth, nearly three minutes behind.

When the men stepped up to the start line, the conditions were slightly milder than yesterday, providing better glide. Additionally, the brutally biting wind had died down just a tad from the previous days. On the program were four classic laps and four skate laps, 30 kilometer in total. 

The skate sprint is the next cross-country event for both men and women at the 2022 Olympics. The skate sprint takes place on Tuesday, February 8, starting at 9am CET. 

FACTS: 2022 OLYMPICS 

What: XXIV Olympic Winter Games (24th edition)
Beijing 2022 – All you need to know 
Where: Beijing, China
Biathlon, cross-country skiing and Nordic events will take place at the Zhangjiakou arena, situated at and above 1650 meters above sea level. 
When: February 4 to 20, 2022
What happens when: 
Complete schedule for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, all sports. 
Who: 53 cross-country teams compete at the 2022 Olympics, each fielding from 1 to 16 athletes. 
All the cross-country ski teams to the Beijing Winter Olympics 
How: Where to watch the Olympics – World Wide

Results, start lists and competition details for all events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics will be posted here

Beijing Olympics homepage