Second Relay title for Russian Olympic Committee athletes

For todays Men’s Relay, the Zhangjiakou Cross-Country stadium got covered in a white blanket. With the fresh snow, challenging conditions awaited the 15 teams.

Out of the start gate, Alexey Chervotkin leaped ahead of the group and clearly stated the plan of the Russian Olympic Committee Team, to double up on their female colleagues who had won the gold medal in the Relay the day before.

On the close chase was Emil Iversen (NOR), Richard Jouve (FRA), Oskar Svensson (SWE), Janosch Brugger (GER) and Federico Pellegrino (ITA).

But the 26 year-old Chervotkin took the clear lead and pulled away from his successors after 4 kilometers (of his 10km leg).

Until the exchange to Alexander Bolshunov – who went into the competition as the second Classic skier – the margin had already grown to 23 seconds.

Knowing the strength of the other team’s second leg skiers – among others, Iivo Niskanen from Finland – Bolshunov knew that it was pivotal to gain on lead before passing on to the first athlete heading out in Free technique.

In the chasing group, Paal Golberg managed to pull ahead and left Friedrich Moch (GER) and Francesco De Fabiani (ITA) catch his heels. But soon, William Poromaa (SWE) and Hugo Lapalus (FRA) caught up.

When Denis Spitsov then took over the work up front from Bolshunov, the gap had grown to 1 minute to the chasing group. Iivo Niskanen raced the fastest leg time and catapulted Finland into the 4th position when heading into the Free technique sections.

However, Hans Christer Holund (NOR), Clement Parisse (FRA), Jens Burman (SWE) and Florian Notz (GER) headed into the chase for Spitsov in pole positions. Under the pace setter Holund, the four athletes remained together until the final lap, when Notz lost the connection to the trio.