The upstart marathon runner slapped the invincible Bolshunov. Is the king tired?

Alexander Bolshunov was left without gold in the personal for the first time this season race. The best skier in the country finished outside the podium! A ten-kilometer time trial race in the classical style within the framework of the Russian Championship presented the main sensation of the year.
Savely Korostelev, Alexey Chervotkin, Ilya Semikov, Ivan Gorbunov, Sergey Ardashev, and the same Sergey Ustyugov — many were expected to defeat Bolshunov along the way season. Today they all beat the King of Skis. And the victory was won by 31-year-old Ermil Vokuev, representing the Komi Republic.

For ski racing fans, Ermil is still more associated with marathons. This is one of the best doublepoling specialists in the world. Everyone remembers his phenomenal result at the legendary 70-kilometer classic Marchalonga marathon in 2022. Or bronze at the 90-kilometer «Vasaloppet» a year earlier.
Bolshunov lasted 23 races without defeat After the finish of the skiathlon held at the Russian Championship on March 17, the feeling of San Sanych's approaching defeat only grew.
“Alexander, one might say, did not train for a week, he had neither speed nor strength training,” emphasized senior coach of the Russian national team Yuri Borodavko. “After that it was difficult to go to the start and fight. And it was clear how difficult it was for him today after the disease is taking off.»
Indeed, the recent illness is making itself felt. If in contact wrestling Bolshunov has no equal even in this condition, then in the time trial the king may well lose. That's exactly what happened.

“Listen, but Sasha was sick here, today after the race he said this again, that his health is not the best. And the races are interesting to watch, regardless of who wins,” noted the head of the Russian Ski Racing Federation (FLGR) Elena Vyalbe after the finish .

For the first half of the race he managed to stay in the top three, but by the middle of the second lap the gap became catastrophic — 21.4 seconds. It was felt that Bolshunov refused to continue fighting, and the final 45.4 seconds is an excellent confirmation of this.
““Nothing passes without a trace, even though two weeks have passed, but he has not fully recovered,” Bolshunov said after the finish on the TV channel “Match” TV.» — On the last lap, my breathing went a little “off”, the membrane in my ear began to work incorrectly somehow. It was clear that there was nothing to catch today. The race didn’t go today, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Ahead within the framework The Russian Championship has three more starts — a team sprint, a relay race and a 50-kilometer freestyle marathon. And many are now wondering whether Bolshunov should run the next two races, or should he still concentrate on the marathon?