Being ranked fifth in the world is not enough to make the Russian team to the World Cup: Sergey Ustiugov is cut from the World Cup team to the upcoming races in Davos, Switzerland. 

According to Match TV, the Russian team directors have cut Sergey Ustiugov from the distance event in at the upcoming World Cup in Davos. Switzerland. 

“It was a controversial decision (to cut Ustiugov), but we made it and then we have to stick to it. Then the question is whether it is right to reject the man who is number three in the distance cup overall.” Russian national team coach Yuri Borodavko says.

When the coaches discussed how to select the team for the upcoming World Cup at the Lillehammer World Cup weekend, they agreed that the one with the slowest skier in the distance in Lillehammer race among Yakimushkin, Maltsev, Chervotkin and Ustiugov would get cut, one of the coaches explained to Match TV. And finishing 24th in the that race, Ustiugov was the slowest of the four. 

“What we do know, is that (Ustiugov) showed that he is in shape when he gave Klæbo a serious fight all the way to the finish line in the relay in Lillehammer last weekend,” says coach Borodavko, who obviously found it hard to cut the always fast and now also full-bearded Russian racer. 

All about the World Cup in Davos on December 11 and 12