Re: Re:
python said:
looks like sweden may have its 'revenge' today. both among the ladies and particularly amang men.
turns out, i was almost 100% right
this was one of the most interesting classic sprints...stina winning was a cake this morning
but i have to say i liked belorokova...she's a fighter plus a beautiful brunet with sky-blue eyes...needs to improve cornering but sure not looks as ugly as kova...
the men's sprint was noticible for several using just double polling including both swedish winners...oscar was unbeatable..interestingly, if i am not mistaken, kriuokov changed his skis from waxable to skating in the semis and the final. something ustiuogov did not get a chance to do b/c he was beaten fairly by the skates having made a wrong choice...which is surprising since he has one of the strongest backs in the sport
i dont think his shape is bad since he was second in a skate race...if the russians are allowed into the olympics, he may do as well or better than at the worlds earlier this year...
Ustiugov is in good shape, but it seemed obvious (to me anyway) that he wasn't going all out on purpose today or yesterday. I watched both races and yesterday he started really slow, he was in the 40's or something the first third of the race, Poltoranin caught him fairly early and they kind of skied together the rest of the way. He seem to have let Poltoranin go, and only started going all out in the last 100 meters or so, which was strange. The race today was even more strange. He didn't qualify impressively, but started the quarterfinal fast, then slowed down, was passed by Svensson and Johansson, looked really dead, but then started sprinting hard the last 200 meters and just missed out on qualifying in 2nd. To me it seemed like he was just messing around, like Northug, almost. Purposely not giving it 100% in preparation for Finland next weekend. Not exactly the attitude Russians usually bring, but we'll see. It's too bad there was no TV coverage of the 10km skate race. There is a short clip of him during that race, V2ing...his technique looks a little better, a little more tighter than last year, but fairly relaxed. If his technique really improved, then he will be even better this year. That's a scary thought. Again, it was a short clip, with only a gradual uphill section, but it was still impressive.
He will join 8 other men for the Ruka triple: Ustiugov, Belov, Bessmertnykh, Vylegzhanin, Vitsenko, Bolshunov, Chervotkin, Larkov and Retyvikh. That's 8 all rounders and a pure sprinter (Retyvikh) heading to Finland. Kriukov, who finished third today isn't going, even though there's a classic sprint in Ruka he's probably going to Lillehammer, where another classic sprint will be held. I am sure Panzhinskiy will be in Norway as well, likewise Parfenov, a dark horse for any sprint race. It's been a very impressive first couple weeks for the Russians. They are obviously all in shape to make sure they are selected for the opening world cups. It'll be interesting to see how long that shape will last, but my guess is that it will be there for another week, at least, which should make next week's mini-tour VERY exciting. I would love to see the Bolshunov-Klaebo duel. Chervotkin impressed in the classic race yesterday. He's noticeably more effective in skate races. Ustiugov may just hang back early season, like he did last year, but if one remembers, he fell the day before the opening races in Finland last year and hurt his shoulder, so he missed the opening races. Then his skis were AWFUL in the Lillehammer pursuit and he lost over 30 places in that 15km classic pursuit. Those two weekends plus his fall in the qualification in Toblach post-tour de ski pretty much decided the overall world cup. Still, would love to see him go well the whole year, if possible. It figures to be an all out war between the Russian and Norwegian men next week. Also expect a lot from Poltoranin, Cologna and Niskanen, particularly in the two distance races in Ruka. Maybe Peterson and Svensson can do something in the classic sprint, but everyone else will be fighting for minor places.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram