Gripping duel for Bolshunov and Roethe at 15km Mst in Falun
Feb 09, 2020·Cross-Country
Lugnet's ski stadium was the place to be in Falun, SWE this morning as the worlds elite of Cross-Country gathered for the 15km F mass start. The format had to be adapted previousely from a 30km individual start as the snow conditions did not allow a longer loop. The athletes adapted themselves well with this change and competed a fair and controlled competition along the 2.7km course.
On the result list, Russian and Norwegian athletes take in the top-8 spots as they took the role as the pace makers for the 78 starters right from the start. Already after the first lap the field was separated apart and the top group consisted of around 30 successors. In the meantime, Simen Hegstad Krüger and Hans Christer Holund had taken over the lead and each tried to tear away from the group.
In the final lap, Alexander Bolshunov clearly regained the lead and set out for the grand finish. Only Sjur Roethe managed to follow up on the current Overall World Cup leader. Bolshunov and Roethe delivered a grand final along the stretch towards the finish line. Ivan Yahimushkin, who powerfully made his way from the back of the successor group to the front runners, managed to pull away and crossed the finish line in 3rd position before Andrey Melnichenko and Hans Christer Holund who had an unfortunate small fall in the famous banked horseshoe turn before the final climb.
