Winter Olympics 2022 - Alexander Bolshunov coasts to gold in men's 30km skiathlon with 70 second lead

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 06/02/2022 at 10:34 GMT

The Russian Olympic Committee have their first gold of the 2022 Winter Olympics as Alexander Bolshunov dominated the field to win the men's 30km skiathlon. Compatriot Denis Spitsov grabbed silver while Finland's Iivo Niskanen produced a brilliant effort to hold off two Norwegian challengers to take bronze.

Alexander Bolshunov produced a dominant race to win the men's 30km skiathlon with a 70-second lead.

The Russian Olympic Committee racer finished well ahead of compatriot Denis Spitsov who took the silver medal, spending the final 13km of the race in second.

And Finland's Iivo Niskanen, rated as the best classic skier in the world, phenomenally held off challenges from Norway's Hans Christer Holund and Pal Golberg to take bronze.

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Team GB's Andrew Musgrave finished 17th.

Bolshunov, a two-time reigning overall World Cup champion, won three silvers and a bronze in Pyeongchang four years ago but had never won gold before.

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But his lead was so big that he could start celebrating well in advance and carried the Russian Olympic Committee flag across the line.

It is the Russian Olympic Committee's first gold of the Games.

'What a day' - Bolshunov powers to convincing skiathlon gold medal at Beijing 2022

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