Alexander Bolshunov

Alexander Aleksandrovich Bolshunov (Russian: Александр Александрович Большунов; born 31 December 1996) is a Russian cross-country skier and two-time winner of the 14th and 15th Tour de Ski.[1] He is the first male post-Soviet Russian World Cup champion, winning the overall World Cup in 2020.

In this Eastern Slavic name, the patronymic is Aleksandrovich and the family name is Bolshunov.
Alexander Bolshunov
Bolshunov in 2019
Country Russia
Full nameAlexander Aleksandrovich Bolshunov
Born (1996-12-31) 31 December 1996
Podyvotye, Sevsky District, Bryansk Oblast, Russia
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
World Cup career
Seasons2017–
Individual wins24
Team wins1
Indiv. podiums51
Team podiums4
Indiv. starts83
Team starts3
Overall titles1 – (2020)
Discipline titles2 – (DI in 2019/2020)
Updated on 2 January 2021.

Career

2013–17: Twofold U23 World Champion

Bolshunov was born in Podyvotye in the Bryansk Oblast, located just several kilometres from the Russian-Ukraine border. It was there were he started his sports career with his coach and father Alexander Ivanovich Bolshunov.[2] In 2011, his father brought him to the Bryansk sports school for ski-cross skiing, where he was coached by Merited Coach of Russia N. I. Nekhitrov.[3] The first victories on nationals came a year ago, when on 6 February 2013 Bolshunov took the first place in 10 km classic in a tournament taking place in the Tver Oblast.[4]

On 17 March 2014, Bolshunov won the 20 km skiathlon event at the Russian Junior Nationals,[5] resulting Bolshunov being bestowed the honorary Master of Sports of Russia.[6] After the nationals he was invited to the junior team. A year later he participated in the sprint event of the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, but failed to qualify for the sprint final, leaving him without medals.[7] In the following Youth Championships in Rasnov, Romania, his best result was 2nd, in the relay event.[8]

In 2017, Bolshunov took part in the FIS U23 World Ski Championships in the venue Soldier Hollow, Utah, United States, where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held. He won silver in sprint,[9] and a few days later he won the 15 km individual freestyle event.[10] The skiathlon event was marked by a memorable performance by Bolshunov, Alexey Chervotkin and Denis Spitsov, who entered the finish line hand in hand.[11] Bolshunov was declared the winner.[12] As a result, Bolshunov was conferred the highest honorary sports title of Russia, "International Master of Sports".[13]

2017–18: FIS World Cup debut

Bolshunov's first major senior tournament in which he competed were the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2017 in Lahti, Finland, finishing 26th in sprint and 15th in skiatlon. In the 2016–17 season he entered his first FIS World Cup stage in Drammen, Norway, in March 2017, finishing 9th. He won his first podium in the next season in the third Stage World Cup in Ruka, Finland, on 26 November, in 15 km freestyle pursuit.[14] In the overall standings of the three Ruka stages, the "Ruka Triple", he was placed third.[15] He showed strong results by the year's end, finishing four times in the third places.

After the 2017–18 Tour de Ski – in the 15 km pursuit stage he reached the third-place – Bolshunov missed a handful of WC stages to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. At the Olympics, he rebounded by winning three silver medals and one bronze medal. He won his first Olympic medal in sprint classical, losing only to Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Federico Pellegrino. Bolshunov then won medals in team sprint freestyle, 4 × 10 km relay and 50 km classical.

2018–19: Distance Cup winner

In March, Bolshunov reached the second place in a WC stage for the first time in his career, in the 15 km classical event in Lahti. He also finished third in a WC stage in Drammen, now in sprint classical. By the season's end, Bolshunov won the World Cup Final after winning the 15 km classical mass start and 15 km freestyle pursuit stages.[16] In the overall World Cup standings he was placed 5th.[17]

In the 2018–19 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season, Bolshunov won the first two WC stages in Ruka, in sprint classical and 15 km classical, receiving the yellow bib as a result. Bolshunov led in the overall standings after fifteen stages until being replaced by Johannes Høsflot Klæbo during the Tour de Ski.

Before the World Championships, Bolshunov clinched another stage win in Italian Cogne in 15 km classical. Bolshunov debuted at the World and won four silver medals in 30 km skiathlon, 50 km freestyle mass start, as well as in team sprint and 4 × 10 km relay. On 9 March he won another stage in 50 km classical mass start in Holmenkollen, returning the yellow bib after Klæbo's poor performance there. As a result, Bolshunov at age 22 became not only the youngest winner of the marathon stage, but also the youngest winner of the Distance Cup, claiming the Small Crystal Globe.[18]

2019–20: Tour de Ski champion, World Cup overall winner

Bolshunov started the 2019–20 FIS Cross-Country World Cup by participating in the mini-event 2019 Nordic Opening, where he was positioned fifth in the overall ranking. He won the next stage in Lillehammer, for the first time in the 30 km skiathlon classic and freestyle event. Bolshunov entered the 2019–20 Tour de Ski by reaching the third place in 15 km mass start freestyle. He went on reaching five out of six podium places in the next stages, only failing in the first sprint stage in Lenzerheide, stopping in the semifinals. Although he won only one stage, and five times finished third, he took the first position in the overall ranking, becoming the third Russian to do so. After this victory he received the right to wear the yellow bib previously worn by Klæbo.[19] He went on winning three back-to-back long distance stages, doing so in Nové Město and Oberstdorf.

Prior to the FIS Ski Tour 2020, Bolshunov finished third in the sprint and first in 15 km mass start stage, both in Falun. In the inaugural Ski Tour, Bolshunov led in the overall standings after the 5th stage, but in the 6th stage following an ill-conceived preparation of the skies by the team staff, who hoped the snowfall would stop soon and so decided not to use the no wax anti-ice method, Bolshunov finished 7th.[20][21] In the same month, in February, Bolshunov took the second position in 15 km classic in Lahti. He finished the season by winning the 50 km classic mass start event in Oslo and went on winning the overall World Cup ahead of schedule after the remaining stages did not take place due to the coronavirus outbreak. He became the first post-Soviet Russian male ski-cross skier to win the World Cup and the first Russian since Soviet Vladimir Smirnov, who won the 1991 edition.[22] Beside that, Bolshunov won his second consecutive Distance Cup title. Due to the pandemic, the ceremony was postponed indefinitely and the Crystal Globe was presented to the Russian only three months later.[23]

2020–21: Back-to-back Tour de Ski champion

Bolshunov started the new season finishing overall second in the Ruka Triple after only Klæbo. Before the 2021 Tour de Ski, he claimed a distance title in Swiss Davos and his first team title in team sprint with Retivykh, in a sprint tournament traditionally taking place in Dresden, Germany, this time without Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish skiers, after their federations decided to quit sending skiers due to concerns over COVID-19.[24] As a result of the withdrawal, Bolshunov was awarded the yellow bib. The Tour de Ski saw a return of Swedish and Finnish, but not of Norwegian skiers.

After the first, sprint stage, where Bolshunov finished second, the Russian won five consecutive stages, repeating the World Cup tour record of Ustiugov and Dæhlie,[25] but failed to update the record as he came third in the following sprint stage in Val di Fiemme. In the 10 km Final Climb Mass Start stage he finished 2nd. But this secured him winning the Tour de Ski for a second time, finishing by a record margin of three minutes twenty-three seconds ahead of other skiers.[26] During the final stage of the ski race in Lahti Bolshunov attempted twice to slash Finnish skier Joni Mäki, and towards the finish rammed Mäki and knocked him down, resulting Bolshunov being disqualified.[27] Bolshunov officially apologized for his behaviour after the competition.[28]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[29]

Olympic Games
  • 4 medals – (3 silver, 1 bronze)
 Year   Age   15 km 
individual		  30 km 
 skiathlon 		  50 km 
mass start		  Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 		  Team 
 sprint 
201821——SilverBronzeSilverSilver

World Championships
  • 4 medals – (4 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km 
individual		  30 km 
 skiathlon 		  50 km 
mass start		  Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 		  Team 
 sprint 
201720—15—26——
2019228SilverSilver11SilverSilver

Season titles
  • 3 titles – (1 Overall, 2 Distance)
Season
Discipline
2019Distance
2020Overall
Distance

Season standings
 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Sprint U23 Nordic
Opening		 Tour de
Ski		 Ski Tour
2020		 World Cup
Final
201720100—498——N/A—
2018215966N/A
201922555N/A
2020236N/A57N/A
202124112N/AN/A

Individual podiums
  • 26 victories – (18 WC, 8 SWC)
  • 53 podiums – (30 WC, 23 SWC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 2017–18 24–26 November 2017 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
22 December 2017 Lillehammer, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
39 December 2017 Davos, Switzerland1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
410 December 201715 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
51 January 2018 Lenzerheide, Switzerland15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
64 March 2018 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
77 March 2018 Drammen, Norway1.2 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
817 March 2018 Falun, Sweden15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
916–18 March 2018 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
10 2018–19 24 November 2018 Rukatunturi, Finland1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
1125 November 201815 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1230 December 2018 Toblach, Italy15 km Individual FStage World Cup3rd
133 January 2019 Oberstdorf, Germany15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
145 January 2019 Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup3rd
1519 January 2019 Otepää, Estonia1.6 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
1620 January 201915 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
1717 February 2019 Cogne, Italy15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
189 March 2019 Oslo, Norway50 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
1917 March 2019 Falun, Sweden15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
2024 March 2019 Quebec City, Canada15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
2122–24 March 2019 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
22 2019–20 7 December 2019 Lillehammer, Norway15 km + 15 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
2328 December 2019 Lenzerheide, Switzerland15 km Mass Start FStage World Cup3rd
2431 December 2019 Toblach, Italy15 km Individual FStage World Cup3rd
251 January 202015 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
263 January 2020 Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup3rd
274 January 20201.5 km Sprint CStage World Cup3rd
285 January 202010 km Mass Start FStage World Cup3rd
2928 December 2019
– 5 January 2020		   Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
3018 January 2020 Nové Město, Czech Republic15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
3119 January 202015 km Pursuit CWorld Cup1st
3225 January 2020 Oberstdorf, Germany15 km + 15 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
338 February 2020 Falun, Sweden1.4 km Sprint CWorld Cup3rd
349 February 202015 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
3516 February 2020 Östersund, Sweden15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
3620 February 2020 Meråker, Norway34 km Mass Start FStage World Cup1st
3729 February 2020 Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
388 March 2020 Oslo, Norway50 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
39 2020–21 28 November 2020 Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
4027–29 November 2020 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
4112 December 2020 Davos, Switzerland1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
4213 December 202015 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
431 January 2021 Val Müstair, Switzerland1.4 km Sprint FStage World Cup2nd
442 January 202115 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
453 January 202115 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
465 January 2021 Toblach, Italy15 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
476 January 202115 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
488 January 2021 Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
499 January 20211.5 km Sprint CStage World Cup3rd
5010 January 202010 km Mass Start FStage World Cup2nd
511–10 January 2021   Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
5229 January 2021 Falun, Sweden15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
5330 January 202115 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st

Team podiums
  • 1 victory – (1 TS)
  • 3 podiums – (3 RL, 1 TS)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 2018–19 9 December 2018 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndBelov / Spitsov / Melnichenko
227 January 2019 Ulricehamn, Sweden4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndLarkov / Melnichenko / Ustiugov
3 2020–21 20 December 2020 Dresden, Italy12 × 0.65 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup1stRetivykh

Personal life

In September 2020, Bolshunov married cross-country skier Anna Zherebyateva after five years of dating.[30]

References
  1. Bolshunov, Alexander at the International Ski Federation
  2. "Биография российского лыжника Александра Большунова" [Biography of Russian skier Alexander Bolshunov] (in Russian). TASS. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  3. "Тренер: на лыжи бронзового призера Олимпийских игр Большунова поставил его отец" [Coach: Olympic Bronze Medalist Bolshunov Was Put on Skis by His Father] (in Russian). TASS. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  4. "Результаты - д. Гришкино (Тверская область) - ЭСПУ - 10 км КЛ" [Results - village Grishkino (Tver Oblast) - 10 km C] (in Russian). Cross Country Ski Federation of Russia. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  5. "Первенство России по лыжным гонкам среди юниоров и юниорок 1994/1995 г.р. - Официальный итоговый протокол - Скиатлон, юниоры, 10 км КЛ + 10 км СВ" [Russian Junior Championships for Sportspeople Born in 1994–95] (PDF) (in Russian). Cross Country Ski Federation of Russia. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  6. "Приказ "О присвоении спортивного звания "Мастер спорта России"" [Order "On Awarding the Sports Honorary Title "Master of Sports of Russia"] (in Russian). Ministry of Sport of Russia. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  7. "2015 FIS Junior World Ski Championships - Men's SP C Final Official results". FIS. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  8. "2016 FIS Junior World Ski Championships - Men's Rel 4x5 km F Official results". FIS. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  9. "2017 FIS U23 World Ski Championships - Men's SP C Final Official results". FIS. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  10. "2017 FIS U23 World Ski Championships - Men's 15 km F Official results". FIS. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  11. А. Романов (5 February 2017). ""Такого никогда не видел": российские лыжники устроили шоу на финише чемпионата мира в США" ["Never Seen Something Like That": Russian Skiers Performed a Show at the Finish of the Worlds in the USA] (in Russian). russian.rt.com. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  12. "2017 FIS U23 World Ski Championships - Men's Skiathlon 15km/15km C/F Official results". FIS. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  13. "Приказ "О присвоении спортивного звания "Мастер спорта России международного класса"" [Order "On Awarding the Honorary Sports Title "International Master of Sports"] (in Russian). Ministry of Sport of Russia. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  14. "Stage World Cup Ruka (FIN)". www.fis-ski.com.
  15. "Ruka Triple – Stage 3 of 3" (PDF).
  16. "WORLD CUP FINAL MEN" (PDF).
  17. "Cup standings". www.fis-ski.com.
  18. "Большунов — самый молодой победитель дистанционного зачёта Кубка мира в истории". www.championat.com.
  19. "Alexander Bolshunov wins the Tour de Ski". www.fis-ski.com.
  20. Сакун, Никита. "«Ски Тур»: Норвегия выбрала лыжи для сильного снегопада, Россия — для более хорошей погоды". www.championat.com.
  21. "Golberg stunned about Ski Tour 2020 victory". www.fis-ski.com.
  22. "Alexander Bolshunov becomes first Russian skier to win World Cup". russkiymir.ru.
  23. "FIS sends "Big Crystal Globe" to Bolshunov | tellerreport.com". www.tellerreport.com.
  24. "Sweden and Finland Follow Norway and Withdraw from December World Cups (Updated) – FasterSkier.com". fasterskier.com.
  25. "Bolshunov claimed a fifth consecutive Tour de Ski win that equaled a record in Italy | Instant News". January 9, 2021.
  26. [www.tellerreport.com/sports/2021-01-11-%0A---"sasha-is-a-world-leader-by-a-wide-margin"--bolshunov-is-tipped-for-the-"crystal-globe"-after-the-second-triumph-at-the-"tour-de-ski"%0A--.BygOZgDYCw.html "Sasha is a world leader by a wide margin": Bolshunov is tipped for the "Crystal Globe" after the second triumph at the "Tour de Ski" ]
  27. "Финишем Александра Большунова заинтересовалась полиция" – via Kommersant.
  28. Alexander Bolshunov apologizes for unsportmanslike behavior
  29. "Alexander Bolshunov". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  30. "Брянский лыжник Большунов сыграл свадьбу". Телеканал Городской.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.