Senior coach of the Russian cross-country ski team Egor Sorine told that the Olympic champion Veronica Stepanova managed to resolve all the problems that prevented him from participating in all races of the Alfa-Bank Russian Cup stage in Tyumen.
On Saturday, Stepanova won the 5-kilometer race in classic style at the third stage of the Russian Cup in Kirovo-Chepetsk. Anastasia Kuleshova finished second (+14.1 seconds), Elizaveta Pantrina (+31.0) closed the top three. On Thursday, Stepanova became second in the sprint.
During the second stage in Tyumen, the Olympic champion from Beijing only ran the prologue of the sprint.
— Veronica Stepanova feels good. We can say that today she redeemed herself for second place in the sprint. In the sprint race, she did not choose the right tactics for such a circle.
In all races, starting from the quarterfinals, Veronica was in the lead, took first place and set the tone. In such conditions, athletes who stay behind have a certain advantage. After all, it’s quite difficult to escape on such an easy ride. But that’s okay, second place is a good result.
Of course, with the current competition, I wish Veronica would always be first. But today she showed her level over a distance of five kilometers in the classics – she won with a lead of 14 seconds, which is a lot. There are four races remaining in December. I hope Veronica maintains her health and can fight for first place in every competition in the future.
— Did the cancellation of the stage in Chusovoy and the change in logistics somehow affect the athletes?
— She influenced some and even played into the hands of others. Veronica, for example, had the opportunity to spend more than a week at home. In Moscow, she had all the conditions for training and the weather was favorable for preparation. This situation probably played into Veronica’s hands. She was mentally resting at home. She managed to resolve all the problems that at the Tyumen stage prevented her from participating in all races. Veronica was able to prepare well for the end of the first part of the season. I hope she will go to the starting line in all races and show her results,” Sorin told .
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
