4 x 7.5 km Relay Men
Nervous tension affected even before the race. The Ukrainian-Belarusian veteran Aleksey Aidarov led the peloton behind him before the starter shot. When was this in relay races ?! All the strongest in the ranks and at least four obvious contenders for victory: Germans, Russians, Norwegians and French.
The German national team was eager to rehabilitate for a nondescript season. The four-time Olympic champion Ricco Gross, completing a glorious career, was especially tuned to the team race. Norwegians also longed for gold. At the stages of the World Cup, they twice rose to the highest level: once with Bjoerndalen, the other without him. The French in individual races showed impeccable readiness, especially in shooting.
The Russians ... They just wanted to cross their fingers, clench their fists, inhale more air and in no case to predict. Too many hopes did not come true in Anterselva. The failure in the mixed relay race still did not completely dispel our optimism: after all, the men in that ill-fated race ran quite dignifiedly, unlike women. The composition of the team was read in advance, and the coaches did not intrigue: two Ch - Cherezov and Miracles - in the first stages, then Yaroshenko and Kruglov.
Opponents of surprises did not present. Only the Norwegians, instead of the ill-fated Emil-Hegle Svendsen, entrusted the base to the unstable shooter Lars Berger. The Germans have long solved the dilemma: Wolf or Resh? But in the end, they chose the latter. Wolf in Anterselva is completely different from the Wolf who set the sprint heat in Pokljuka.
The start of the relay was perfect for the Russians. Ivan Cherezov calmly completed the shooting, while the rivals were suddenly carried away by misses. Hanevold, not used to running in the first stage, buried himself at the start, used three additional cartridges and “brought” Berger thirty seconds behind. Gross did not cope with the “stance” and ran the penalty loop.
Perhaps our biggest fear was the second stage of Maxim Chudov, who tends to play on the nerves. But the silver medalist in the pursuit did not disappoint: he ran quickly according to tradition, made one misfire and immediately corrected himself. The confident move of the Russians dumbfounded Michael Resch, who grabbed the penalty circle, and Lars Berger, who missed four times.
40 seconds in our favor - go crazy! Such a handicap can only be lost by yourself. But this was not believed. Dmitry Yaroshenko and Nikolay Kruglov worked flawlessly in the third and fourth stages, leaving the rivals and the public disassembled for silver for dessert. By the way, it turned out to be exciting: Ole Einar Bjoerndalen surpassed Mickey Grice at the last firing line. Three misses cost three times the Olympic champion. And in the course he was stronger than the great Norwegian. Russia is a champion! For the first time in seven years. If you do not take into account the victory in Lahti-2000, at the World Cup stage, where the relay race from the Norwegian Holmenkollen was transferred, then our men did not know the great victories for eleven years. And such a success! He would not have been possible without Vladimir Alikin. The coach is beloved by the team, always supports the children and defends their interests. This is his victory. He deserved it and did it, contrary to the intrigues in which the Union of Russian Biathletes is now shamefully confused.
Mass start 12.5 km Women
How good Germans are at this championship! Magdalena Neuner, who celebrated her 20th birthday the day before, was great at sprinting and chasing. Martina Glagov shot in the individual race. Such an even and stable composition is the pride of the Bundestren Uwe Mussigang.
For the race with a general start, he put up a military relay quartet: Neuner, Glagov, Henkel and Wilhelm. In the absence of Olympic champion Anna-Karin Olofsson, there was no one to fight with the German machine. Russians tried Natalya Guseva, Ekaterina Yuryeva and Tatyana Moiseeva. But could not stand the high pace.
However, is it worth reproaching our girls who the day before yesterday looked not just tired, but exhausted? No one expected a wonderful transformation from them. But it turned out very well. Guseva to the finish line fought with Wilhelm for bronze. Clever Yuryeva never missed and was fifth - it doesn’t matter that there wasn’t enough strength on the last kilometers, we give a discount for the first season in the company of the strongest. Moiseeva failed on the last shooting range. Surprisingly, except for the Russians, there was no one to throw a glove to German stars.
Andrea Henkel won the gold. She performed well at the December stages of the World Cup, but then she caught a cold virus and was out of order for a long time. Following her, Martina Glagov and Katie Wilhelm finished, who, according to a special program, were preparing for the main start of the season.
Tomorrow is the women's relay and men's mass start. The latest World Cup medals will be played. I don’t want to say goodbye at all ...