CROSS-COUNTRY SKI. Maxim Vylegzhanin of Russia won the men’s FIS World Cup 30 km Skiathlon in Rybinsk, Russia. His winning time of 1:21:54.8 was enough for a +2.7 second victory ahead of Dario Cologna of Switzerland in second place and in third was Finland’s Matti Heikkinen +6.2 seconds back.

    First podium and win of the season for Vylegzhanin
    First win since Szklarska Poreba Jan 2014.
    5th World Cup victory for Vylegzhanin
    6th podium in 11 starts for Cologna in Russia.
    Cologna has 4 victories in Russia. The most in any country for him.
    Cologna moves into second place in Overall World Cup standings.
    First World Cup podium for Heikkinen since Oberstdorf 2011
    6 Russian athletes in the top 8

ATHLETE QUOTES

Maxim Vylegzhanin RUS
This is my first podium and win this season and it’s nice that it came in Russia. The spectators are so great here. I had very good skis today and I am happy to the strongest at the finish. Thank you to the spectators, the organizers and of course my team for the great skis today. Russian skis like Russian snow!

Dario Cologna SUI
I was hoping for another win here today. The start of the race was very quick but in the skate it was not so fast but I realized that my skis were maybe not as fast as the Russian’s so I knew that I needed to attack before the finish to make the group smaller. It would have been nice for a win but I am happy with second place. It was a good weekend for me and I can see where my shape is.

Matti Heikkinen FIN
I am very happy with the result today. It was a fast start in the classic for the first two laps but then it became easier. I pushed very hard at the end but Maxim and Dario were too strong for me. Sure some of the best weren’t here but a race is a race and I focus on Falun so this is a was a great step. Russia is a neighbour for Finland and it’s always nice to visit and see what is similar and what is not.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MEN - 30 km Skiathlon
1. Maxim Vylegzhanin RUS 1:21:54.8
2. Dario Cologna SUI +2.7
3. Matti Heikkinen FIN +6.2

OVERALL WORLD CUP STANDINGS
1. Martin Johnsrud Sundby NOR 1189 pts
2. Dario Cologna SUI 856 pts
3. Petter Northug Jr. NOR 849 pts

WORLD CUP DISTANCE STANDINGS
1. Dario Cologna SUI 549 pts
2. Martin Johnsrud Sundby NOR 528 pts
3. Evgeniy Belov RUS 408 pts

U23 OVERALL STANDINGS
1. Sergey Ustiugov RUS 236 pts
2. Francesco De Fabiani ITA 209 pts
3. Iivo Niskanen FIN 161 pts

FIS
25 January 2015 10:41

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Tchekaleva gets first World Cup victory

Yulia Tchekaleva of Russia has won her first ever World Cup with her victory in the Rybinsk in the ladies’ 15km Skiathlon. Her winning time of 44:16.0 gave her a +15.6 second margin over second place finisher Martine Ek Hagen of Norway. In third place was Finland’s Riitta-Liissa Roponen +22.9 behind. Tchekaleva attacked at the end of the classic portion of the competition and skied alone for the final 7.5 km in the skate technique. Ek Hagen broke away from the chase group on the first lap of three laps in the skate portion but was unable to catch Tchekaleva and was also alone to the finish. Roponen pulled away from the chasing group with Germany’s Steffi Boehler in the final kilometers and held off Boehler at the finish.

    First World Cup podium for Ek Hagen
    First individual World Cup podium for Roponen since Tour de Ski 2010.
    First World Cup victory for Tchekaleva
    First World Cup podium for Tchekaleva since Szklarska Poreba 2014

ATHLETE QUOTES

Yulia Tchekaleva RUS
I tried to save energy in the classic part of the race. I just tried to stay with the front group but not work too hard. When we switched to skating I felt that I had a lot of power so I went for the victory. It was really nice to win my first World Cup here in Russia.

Martine Ek Hagen NOR
This is my first World Cup podium and I am very happy. It was a hard race today. When Yulia (Tchekaleva) attacked I tried to go get her and hoped someone else would be able to come with me but I was alone. Which I guess is good because I was able to get second place. It will be difficult to make the Norwegian team for the World Championships but I feel really good right now and I hope I can make the team

Riitta-Liisa Roponen FIN
It has been a long time since I was on the podium for an individual result. It was a hard fight with Steffi (Boehler) to the finish and I was hoping that I could stay ahead of her and I did. I am feeling very good right now. But I am not sure that I thought I would be on the podium today so I am very happy that I was.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Ladies 15 km Skiathlon
1. Yulia Tchekaleva RUS 44:16.0
2. Martine Ek Hagen NOR +15.6
3. Riitta-Liisa Roponen FIN +22.9

OVERALL WORLD CUP STANDINGS
1. Marit Bjoergen NOR 1588 pts
2. Therese Johaug NOR 1138 pts
3. Heidi Weng NOR 1017 pts

WORLD CUP DISTANCE STANDINGS
1. Marit Bjoergen NOR 638 pts
2. Therese Johaug NOR 612 pts
3. Heidi Weng NOR 491 pts

FIS
25 January 2015 13:31