Sergey Ustiugov – FasterSkier

The Devon Kershaw Show: Russia waltzes to men’s relay gold as Norway slouches to silver

Devon KershawFebruary 13, 2022

The men’s 4 x 10 k relay itself lacked for drama, but fortunately there’s plenty going on in the Norwegian team for us to talk about. Devon and Nat are back to break down Russia’s convincing win in the relay, the most disappointing silver ever for Norway and a gold-like bronze for France. Send questions and feedback to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com. We’ll be back Wednesday. Related reading: “Burmania”: Swedish xc skier’s snack-sampling video goes viral in China The...

News Racing World Cup

Krüger Dominates the 15k Skate in Davos; Schumacher 29th

Ian TovellDecember 12, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. The second day in Davos, Switzerland started with the Men’s 15K Freestyle individual race. In contrast to yesterday’s snow and wind, it was a beautiful blue sky...

Racing World Cup

Klæbo Takes His Fourth Sprint Win in Davos; Ogden 12th

Rachel PerkinsDecember 11, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. Three weeks in, the World Cup swings to the picturesque Alpen valley which holds Davos, Switzerland. As may be hinted by the towering mountains surrounding the glacial valley,...

Racing World Cup

Norway Takes the Relay Win at Home in a Close Match; United States I Team Races to 9th, Canada 10th

Ian TovellDecember 5, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. Most-often the champions of the event, the Norwegian men’s program has been waiting for another crack at the 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay on home turf for the last two...

Racing World Cup

Norwegian Men Rejoin the Field for Podium Sweep in 15 k Skate

Ella HallDecember 4, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. After a warm and rainy fall, temperatures dropped just in time for the athletes arrival in Lillehammer, Norway this weekend. The original program for Saturday’s competition was a 30...

News Racing World Cup

A Russian Sweep on Day 3 in Ruka; Schumacher Advances to 11th

FasterSkierNovember 28, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. By Ryan Sederquist It was another very cold day in Ruka, Finland. Temperatures hovered between -19 and -23.2 degrees Celsius around the course, rising to -18.6C by the start...

News Racing World Cup

Italy’s Pellegrino and De Fabiani to Work With Marcus Cramer and Russian Ski Team

Ella HallMay 3, 2021

In a recent press release from FISI (Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali), the Italian Ski Federation, announced some coaching changes for the upcoming season, notably that this year’s World Cup Sprint Globe winner, Federico Pellegrino, and his teammate, Francesco de Fabiani will join the training group of Marcus Cramer who works with the Russian Ski Team. Cramer’s current squad includes Sergey Ustiugov, Gleb Retivykh, Artem Maltsev and Evgeniy Belov on the men’s side and Yulia Stupak,...

Feature Racing World Cup

Exploring Alexander Bolshunov: A Rivalry is Born – Part 2

Pasha KahnFebruary 25, 2021

This is the second part of a three-part series on Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov. You can find part three here. During the season of 2018/19, there was fierce competition for the overall World Cup between Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Alexander Bolshunov, who surprised the Norwegians by proving to be a versatile and resilient competitor. Sergey Ustiugov was initially seen to be the main threat to Klæbo’s World Cup campaign, haunting him in the Tour de...

Racing World Cup

Oskar Svensson Toes First in Ulricehamn; Canada’s Graham Ritchie 17th

Jason AlbertFebruary 6, 2021

It was a sprint skier’s delight for nearly three-minutes on the 1.6-kilometer loop in Ulricehamn, Sweden on Saturday. In the uptick towards the hets on this working skier’s course an unusual name, as far as results go, topped the leaderboard after qualification. Finland’s Joni Mæki (26) was the fastest qualifier in 2:58.41. Before the last few weeks, Mæki had flown under our radar until he and Bolshunov captured cross-country headlines a few weeks back in...

Racing World Cup

Klæbo Strides for the Falun Sprint Win; Schoonmaker 18th

Jason AlbertJanuary 31, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. Squeaky snow, firm tracks and a fanless Falun was the backdrop for the men’s 1.4-kilometer classic sprint in Falun, Sweden on Sunday. The racing capped a three day series...

Racing US Ski Team World Cup

Bolshunov Four for Four in Distance Wins; Norris Earns Season Best Result in 24th

Rachel PerkinsFebruary 9, 2020

Around and around they go. Due to lack of snow in Falun, Sweden, the men again wheeled their way around a manmade ribbon of snow, skating six icy 2.5-kilometer laps. Reduced from 30 to the 15 k distance and without the long, steep climb for which the course is usually known, how athletes would fare was yet to be determined. Along the way, two sets of 15 bonus points were available for the top ten...

Racing Tour de Ski

Bolshunov Locks Down the TdS Overall, Krüger Untouchable on the Alpe

Jason AlbertJanuary 5, 2020

The hype. The Spectacle. Stage 7 of the 2019-2020 Tour de Ski (TdS) brings the show: the Alpe Cermis final climb. The race this year began as a mass start — a new format for the final stage, as this has historically has been a pursuit race, where the first skier to the finish line is the TdS champ. With the opening sections of the course taking in the sprint course loop in Val di Fiemme,...

Racing Tour de Ski

Putting On a Show In Stage 6, Klæbo Leads the Overall by One Second

Rachel PerkinsJanuary 4, 2020

With up to 60 bonus seconds on the line in the penultimate stage and just two minutes separating the top ten in the Tour de Ski overall, every place matters in the 1.5-kilometer classic sprint in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Fighting for the top spot on the podium, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway sat 18 seconds back on Alexander Bolshunov of Russia entering Stage 6 and three seconds ahead of Sergey Ustiugov. None of these...

Racing Tour de Ski

With the Stage 5 Win, Klæbo Lurks 16 Seconds Back in the Overall

Jason AlbertJanuary 3, 2020

Three skiers atop the overall standings after Stage 4 set the tension for Stage 5 in Val di Fiemme, Italy: a 15-kilometer mass start classic race. Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov skied in the yellow leader’s bib while his teammate Sergey Ustiugov stood 16 seconds back in the overall. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway’s Tour de Ski (TdS) podium hope, lurked at 26 seconds back. With a mass start format, the three contenders would play chess match skiing...

Racing Tour de Ski

Bolshunov Steals the Show and the Overall Leader Bib in Stage 4

Rachel PerkinsJanuary 1, 2020

The hunter becomes the hunted. Looking back on previous tours, Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov has not worn the leader bib going into the pursuit stage except for the 2016/2017 tour in Oberstdorf, Germany. That year, Ustiugov won six of the seven stages, placing second in the mass start classic in Stage 6, but still raced up the final hill climb with a significant buffer for the overall victory. This year, Ustiugov was the man to beat....

Racing Tour de Ski

Ustiugov Regains Control as Russia Sweeps the Podium in Stage 3

Rachel PerkinsDecember 31, 2019

New day, new venue, almost a new decade. The 2019/2020 Tour de Ski continued in Toblach, Italy with a 15-kilometer interval start skate. In the war of attrition that is the tour, the first stages set the tone. Hopefuls for the overall win seek to establish their position near the top without expending too much energy to hold up for the long haul. We saw this in the first stage, where the men’s field remained...

Multimedia Podcasts The Devon Kershaw Show

The Devon Kershaw Show: The Lenzerheide Low Down (Stage 1 of the TdS)

FasterSkierDecember 28, 2019

Stage 1 of the 2019-2020 Tour de Ski is final. With two distinct shows in the Lenzerheide, Switzerland men’s and women’s mass start races, the seven-stage TdS narrative has the intro chapter written. Therese Johaug for Norway looks prepped for the distance race sweep, whereas the men’s side has several skiers playing for keeps. On second thought, maybe it’s not that simple after all. They’ve got six stages to go.

Racing Tour de Ski

Ustiugov Victorious Over Narrowly Spread Field in Stage 1 of the Tour de Ski (Updated)

Rachel PerkinsDecember 28, 2019

The starting corral was blocked by a wall of red before the start of the 15-kilometer mass start freestyle in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Of the top ten ranked athletes, eight hailed from either Norway or Russia, interrupted only by Iivo Niskanen of Finland and Lucas Chanavat of France. Front and center was last year’s victor Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. He became the youngest Tour de Ski Champion at 22 years of age after holding off Russia’s Sergey...

Racing Tour de Ski

Tour de Ski Short List

FasterSkierDecember 27, 2019

The Tour de Ski begins with a mass start bonanza on Saturday. In this non-championship year, the TDS takes on marquee status as one the season’s premier prizes. Seven stages with a variety of disciplines, this 14th edition promises a loaded field of skiers. For the women, Therese Johaug of Norway is the easy favorite. Johaug appears programmed for dominance — the TdS features five distance stages. Norway has been well suited for the TdS....

Racing World Cup

Krüger Wins by 19 seconds in Davos 15 k Skate

Jason AlbertDecember 15, 2019

In contrast to yesterday’s open valley sprints, Sunday’s 15-kilometer interval start freestyle was tucked and nestled on the shady side of the valley. Firm snow and less than optimal oxygen concentrations greeted athletes. Davos sits at just over five thousand feet in altitude. As far as the race narrative, so much for fairy tales in lovely Davos. Dario Cologna, the Swiss ski star sat for a time in the fur-lined leader’s chair. Davos, according to...

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