Currently, Team Russia is divided into four groups led by different coaches and there are three mixed groups with both male and female skiers. But it was not always so. How did Russia come to such unusual solutions?

Revolution in Russian cross-country skiing was launched ten years ago by Alexander Legkov – one of the unluckiest skiers in history. In the 2010/11 post-Olympic season, the German physiotherapist Isabelle Knaute joined the Russian team, and her name has become a wind of change. Legkov, Knaute and Ilya Chernousov separated from the main distance team headed by Oleg Perevozchikov. Straightway, they caught the tough anger of Vyalbe, who was a very strict and not at all flexible leader. “Everyone must be into a common stable,” it was her meme-motto and attitude to self-training.

In the 2011 off-season, Legkov acted bypassing Vyalbe and went straight to the Minister of Sports Vitaly Mutko (after Sochi he was banned). The skier dotted over “i” and explained his need to separate from the main group. Mutko accepted the arguments of the potentially best allround skier in the country, who was constantly lacking something at the main events. Mikhail Devyatyarov Jr. and Sergei Novikov were added to the Legkov and Chernousov group. Knaute remained a mini-team physiotherapist, and the Swiss Reto Burgermeister was appointed as a coach.

Vyalbe’s relationship with Legkov is a classic of Russian skiing. Elena alternated lyrical stories about how she personally put Alexander to bed, with daring punches in the media. Thanks to her, the whole country knew that Legkov was unreliable for relays. What about Chernousov – his existence infuriated her. At the 2011 World Championships, Vyalbe said that Ilya didn’t give the maximum at the last stage of relay and saved his energy for the 50 km (although after the third Legkov’s stage, Russia hadn’t fought for medals). Since then, Chernousov hasn’t appeared in relays at the main starts – maybe this stubbornness was worth the relay gold medal in Sochi.

The sparring partners of the leaders had been changing, and the result was three Olympic medals. To achieve this, the group chose Davos, in Switzerland, as their main base, and the skiers were very surprised at the innovations in the training process. They began to regularly measure lactate, pay more attention to technique, rebuild their daily schedule etc.

In the following years, it turned out that Burgermeister was only an administrator, the training plans for the athletes were written by the German Markus Cramer. In September 2015, Cramer officially joined the Russian coaching staff and has been training a group of skiers since then. The roster changes every season, but the leaders remain: two-time world champion Sergey Ustiugov and Olympic medalist Julia Stupak are associated with the name and coaching authority of Cramer.

Here are four groups that started preparing for the Olympic season.

Team Markus Cramer

Men: Evgeniy Belov, Alexander Bessmertnykh, Artem Maltsev, Gleb Retivykh, Sergey Ustiugov.

Women: Alisa Zhambalova, Yulia Stupak, Khristina Matsokina.

There are no doubts – resurrected Ustiugov and relay-winner Stupak are already on the Olympic team. A very stable Maltsev also has a good chance. But we can’t say the same about Retivykh – Oberstdorf-2021 team sprint medalist. Vyalbe doesn’t welcome sprinters, preferring universal skiers, and now she is right – Retivykh has zero finals In Ruka, Lillehammer and Davos.

Matsokina could receive the last place at the Olympic sprint, but other skiers from this group will stay outside of Beijing. Unless force majeure happens.

Team Yuri Borodavko

Men: Alexander Bolshunov, Denis Spitsov, Alexander Terentev, Alexey Chervotkin.

Women: Anastasia Kuleshova (Sedova), Anna Grukhvina, Yana Kirpichenko, Maria Istomina, Natalia Nepryaeva.

The men’s part of the group will most likely go to the Olympics in full force, there are only doubts about Spitsov. But only Nepryaeva took this opportunity from the women’s side. Kuleshova decided to devote herself to the family, and the others have been showing poor results this season.

Team Oleg Perevozchikov

Sergey Ardasev, Kirill Kilivnyuk, Andrey Larkov, Andrey Melnichenko, Artem Nikolaev, Ilya Poroshkin, Ilya Semikov, Anton Timashov, Ivan Yakimushkin.

Perevozchikov only trains men. Now Maxim Vylegzhanin’s ex-coach doesn’t have a top-leader in his group, but Yakimushkin has probably already secured participation in the Olympics. Melnichenko and Semikov also are among the applicants.

Team Egor Sorin

Men: Ivan Gorbunov, Dmitriy Zhul, Denis Filimonov.

Women: Alena Baranova, Lilia Vasileva, Kristina Kuskova, Natalia Mekryukova, Anna Nechaevskaya, Anastasia Rygalina, Ekaterina Smirnova, Tatiana Sorina, Veronika Stepanova, Anastasia Faleeva.

The group was formed as a youth team, but there are exceptions. The main Sorin’s project – his wife Tatiana, who became one of the three leaders of the whole team last year. Another big name – 20 years old Stepanova, shined in the Lillehammer relay. Vyalbe have already announced Veronika’s participation in the Olympics.