Russian athlete Alexander Bolshunov pulled away from the pack early and won the first men’s cross-country skiing gold medal at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday in the 30-kilometer skiathlon.Bolshunov, the World Cup leader in distance races, grabbed a Russian Olympic Committee flag in the final stretch and waved it in the air as he crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 16 minutes, 9.8 seconds.Bolshunov and Iivo Niskanen of Finland led the race through the first four classic ski laps but Russian athlete Denis Spitsov passed Niskanen once they were on the freestyle legs.Spitsov stayed out front and secured the silver, 1:11 behind Bolshunov. Niskanen held on for the bronze, 2:00 behind.The first Norwegian to cross the line was Hans Christer Holund in fourth. He won the bronze medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Norwegian teammate Paal Golberg was fifth.Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, the overall World Cup leader, lost touch with the front group during the classic laps and continued to lose time. He finished in 40th place, 9:06 behind Bolshunov.The skiathlon is a mass-start race that began with 15 kilometers of classic skiing. After four laps around the 3.75-kilometer course, racers came through the stadium and quickly switched to skate skis before heading out for another four laps.
Russian athlete Alexander Bolshunov pulled away from the pack early and won the first men’s cross-country skiing gold medal at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday in the 30-kilometer skiathlon.
Bolshunov, the World Cup leader in distance races, grabbed a Russian Olympic Committee flag in the final stretch and waved it in the air as he crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 16 minutes, 9.8 seconds.
Bolshunov and Iivo Niskanen of Finland led the race through the first four classic ski laps but Russian athlete Denis Spitsov passed Niskanen once they were on the freestyle legs.
Spitsov stayed out front and secured the silver, 1:11 behind Bolshunov. Niskanen held on for the bronze, 2:00 behind.
The first Norwegian to cross the line was Hans Christer Holund in fourth. He won the bronze medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Norwegian teammate Paal Golberg was fifth.
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway, the overall World Cup leader, lost touch with the front group during the classic laps and continued to lose time. He finished in 40th place, 9:06 behind Bolshunov.
The skiathlon is a mass-start race that began with 15 kilometers of classic skiing. After four laps around the 3.75-kilometer course, racers came through the stadium and quickly switched to skate skis before heading out for another four laps.
