How Ustyugov survived convulsions and overtook Bolshunov in the marathon: “Crazy man”

This classic mass start was the final race of the Russian championship in Tyumen. Watching, without stopping, 50 kilometers of skiers moving along the distance is not to say that it is a special pleasure. Not biathlon, in which one shooting can instantly change the result. But Sergei Ustyugov did the unbelievable: he chained everyone to screens of various sizes, running away from his rivals literally five hundred meters after the start.

Unpredictability is the key to love for the sport. Sergei Ustyugov started the Russian championship with a victory in the sprint. Yes, he was preparing for the marathon, he missed the sprint and big relay races at the championship. But the experts still gave the victory at the fifty dollars to Alexander Bolshunov, who, after being unwell before the starts, picked up the pace at the championship. The marathon is one of his signature disciplines. The coach of the Russian national cross-country skiing team Yegor Sorin even said that only he himself could prevent Bolshunov’s victory in the marathon. He also said that three pairs of skis are needed at the distance, and on the first lap no one will break the group, since it is 50 km. And the first 10 km will all go smoothly.

The head coach of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug Sergey Turyshev said the same: in such weather conditions, when the skis are clogged with mud and water, no one will run away, the athletes will wait for the second half of the distance, look at the work of the skis towards the end, after which the “zarub” will begin. And all the experts unanimously repeated: the marathon starts after 40 or even 45 kilometers …

A marathon is a torture of kilometers and time. It was difficult to believe in the victory of the fugitive. But it was possible to twist a finger at the temple and ask why he so thoughtlessly showed agility. But Ustyugov cut down all forecasts. The main group of skiers was already somewhere behind, and three were doing the race. At first, however, the backlog of the favorite did not seem critical. By the tenth kilometer, Sergei won about 20 seconds against Alexander Bolshunov and Alexei Chervotkin. After changing skis for 20 km, Alexander tried to escape from Alexei. But he caught up, and then overtook.

Tyumen crushed the track with heat. Ustyugov had two pairs of skis in reserve for the weather. Bolshunov and Chervotkin had one, so, having changed, they ran another thirty without hope of help. Then Aleksey told what it cost: poor gliding, mud, 20 km on one pair was hard, and 30 was a verdict. Kilometers 7 skis kept the ointment, and then gained mud and water.

After the finish, it suddenly turns out that neither Bolshunov nor Chervotkin knew that it was possible to change skis twice. And Ustyugov found out about this the day before. Question for internal discussions FLGR.

“It’s a pity that Bolshunov didn’t manage to impose a fight due to the fact that the second pair of skis was much worse than the first,” coach Yuri Borodavko complained. But he also admits: it’s not only about the inventory, if there is no good physical condition, no skis will help. “It can be seen that Ustyugov has excellent readiness.”

Alexander Bolshunov, at some point realizing that the eighteenth gold of the Russian championship would have to be won in the race of the next season, stopped fighting with heavy snow and skis. I just went at my own pace. He considered that it is not necessary to force the body when the result – that is, the fate of the gold medal – is clear.

Chervotkin also admitted: after resistance at the beginning of the distance, he realized that Ustyugov could not be reached, he walked the last 15 km, doing a workout. “Serega set a good pace today, it was a mistake to let him go.” But it became clear after the race. And at a distance, he was just driving and thinking: if he hadn’t let go, “maybe Sanek Bolshunov would have “eaten” me, it’s not known how it would be better – to go your own race or sit behind someone else’s back.

And Ustyugov went to victory. And there were no other people’s backs ahead. At the 35th kilometer, Chervotkin was already 40 seconds behind him. Ten kilometers before the finish line, Sergey changed skis, five minutes and 17 seconds ahead of Chervotkin, and already 2 and a half minutes over Bolshunov.

Get up? Will it fall? Will he endure? Two kilometers before the finish line, when Sergei took food, it was clear that cramps pierced his legs. The sight is heavy. These last kilometers have become literally torture even from the outside. Come on Seryoga! He was driven forward by specialists standing on the track, as if trying to give hope to themselves too.

Ustyugov is a unique skier, Elk, beautiful in his pressure. No wonder he got that name. We knew it, but we “forgot” a little. The athlete was not allowed to attend the Olympic Games in Korea without explanation. The cunning IOC President Thomas Bach then said: and no one humiliates anyone, after all, athletes have the opportunity to take part in the Games. “But only the young and pure generation.” For those words, and most importantly – actions, the IOC has not yet responded.

But a year before the 2018 Games, Sergey won the Tour de Ski, was the leader of the national team. He said later: for him personally, the Olympics, as a competition, died after the non-admission. At the first Games in Sochi, success did not happen, for the second Games I was preparing, preparing, but not called. “Maybe they won’t call for the third one either, or something else won’t work out.”

The skier performed at the third Games – in Beijing – and became the Olympic champion, finishing in the relay with a flag in his hands. And this thought during the marathon, which was exhausting with intrigue, arose, by the way, more than once: would he not go out on the ski track on that relay day under the personal responsibility of Elena Vyalbe? Would we see him today at the Russian Championship? This: unstoppable and fearless… This is about prolonging the effect of victory.

Ustyugov will not hide after the finish of the marathon: leaving the gap was a gamble, he decided to try. And he will say that he has such a thing: as if “it closes the wires in the head.” Here, they say, probably closed. “I endured and endured.” And he casually admits this: for a long time there was no such dizziness and “didn’t reduce my muscles so that I drink at the race and I’m shaking.” He will say that the last 10 km was just on autopilot and did not hear anything.

Sergey brought at the finish a little less than a minute and a half to silver Alexei Chervotkin, and a little more than two and a half to Alexander Bolshunov. And convulsions hit the finish line already the whole body of the champion. Colleagues came to the rescue, helped to get dressed, put on socks.

Sport is a combination of talent, self-confidence, thirst for victory and drama. In this race, everything was at once, in one bottle of a marathon. Ustyugov created it and drank it to the bottom.

The champion will thank both the service and Markus Kramer, saying in front of the camera that the coach’s plan is working, will say hello to the family … And between thanks, remembering how he was preparing for the Russian Championship in Komi, and this is a place of power for skiers, he will say that he fell in love with racing again. He will say the key: “After such a marathon, you can not end your sports career.”

And from his favorite coach, Cramer will still hear on the phone: crazy man! Crazy or crazy: which one do you prefer? No, the coach was ready for anything and did not go into shock. And he did not twist his finger at his temple, seeing how Sergey began to run away in the race “for all the money.” He knew everything about him. Only between “knowing” and “seeing” one had to live and survive this most amazing and fantastic marathon performed by Ustyugov.

But now the fifteen-time champion of Russia won the 50 km in official competitions for the first time in his career. And it is already called historical. Do you think Alexander Bolshunov wants to answer?