Längdskidsäsongen 2017/2018

- How long have you been working with Bolshunov?

- Second year. He came to me in the youth team from junior. Already last year there was progress, when after the fourth or sixth place in the world championship Alexander won two gold and silver at these competitions.

- And in this and at all while is in third place in the overall standings of the World Cup.

- He may not have had a huge number of medals at the junior age, but we can not say that Alexander appeared out of nowhere. Absolutely all the coaches who worked with him talked about his talent. He just needed to do a special basic work, after which a qualitative leap took place.

- That is, after the first joint training you realized that you have talent in your hands?

- I saw this athlete long before he came to my team. I looked at Alexander when he was 15. His coach Nikolai Nekhitrov brought the athlete to the children's starts - and he was already there stood out. Not super speed, but some kind of energy, charisma. Such it is visible always. About Julia Chepalova began to speak when she was 13-14. Very early it became clear that Vasily Rochev and Evgeny Dementyev had a great future. In Russia, talents are not so rare. Another thing is that we, unfortunately, do not always treat them correctly. But with Alexander so far, pah-pah, we are working in the right direction. Regular hits in the top 3 - this is a good level. And I am especially pleased that he does it in different disciplines, and not in one definite.

- By the way, I read your comment, dated September 2016. "Bolshunov is a vividly expressed classic, but if we succeed in solving technical problems successfully, he will successfully fight in the ridge style and become a strong generalist." Now we see in his face an athlete who can fight in any discipline.

- This is a confirmation of the correctness of the work we have done. We set certain goals, and Alexander achieved great progress in his work with his daily work. His diligence materializes in the results that we now see.

- Someone takes ideal technique, others are distinguished for their outstanding physical abilities, while others achieve everything with character and desire. What is the feature of Bolshunov?

- Everything you called is inherent in Alexander. As befits a 20-year-old young man, at some points he is a child, but during the hard training work I see a strong, hefty muzhchin. This athlete, uniquely, is strong in spirit. Now there is a formation, not only in Bolshunov, but in the whole group. When an athlete enters the world elite, his outlook and approach to training begin to change. This is expressed in moments that previously seemed trivial: warm-up, hitching, changing clothes. Now my youth team is turning into a truly professional one. It has already reached the point that I can discuss with them the training plans, the athletes get into the work and tell how they endure it. As a result, you can work more individually. We have a team of like-minded people - and that's great.

- In youth you worked with Alexander Legkov , Maxim Vylegzhanin , many others. How does Bolshunov look on their background?

- Alexander must go his own way, not looking at anyone. He sometimes asks me how something was with Legkov or Dementiev to internally compare with them, but Bolshunov writes his story. He has another psychotype and impose someone's training on him impossible. But to take the best - completely. That's what we're trying to do.

- What kind of sport is he?

- And he still surprises. They invited us to a hotel for small gatherings in honor of the Catholic Christmas. So Alexander unexpectedly sat down at the piano for everyone, and began to play some melody. Everyone just jaw dropped. Egor Sorin managed to capture a small piece on the video, posted it in social networks - and the video is very successful. ( laughing )

- The current season for Bolshunov is the first in the World Cup. Is there a lack of experience and what is it expressed in?

"He only learns to perceive himself in comparison with the strongest skiers, but I like that Alexander holds the bar. Now I have to restrain him, because he wants to run absolutely everything.

- The same was a couple of years ago and Sergei Ustyugov .

- The thirst for competition and self-realization is inherent in young sportsmen. The ability to feel the body comes only with experience. Now Alexander clearly sees that his potential is great, but at the same time one must understand that it is impossible to jump through three or four steps all the time.

- How much do they motivate the results of Johannes Klabo?

- It's very offensive to him. Alexander has to stop in training. He wants, as a minimum, to compete with the Norwegian. Although I'm sure that Bolshunov is able to beat him. In some races, he can do it already this season.

- "Tour de Ski" in the Olympic season - always a special story. What do you expect from the current multi-day event?

- Today's Tour is not the same as it was 10 years ago. There were fewer races, crossings were reduced many times and now we see a light version of the tournament. Now you can show yourself well in it, not at the expense of the main start. We were convinced of this by the example of Sergei Ustyugov. I think it's really successful to perform at the Tour de Ski, and then come in the optimal form for the Olympic Games. Although some still decided to miss the Tour, for example, the same Clabo.

- What does it mean "successfully" with reference to Bolshunov?

- For me - if he will be in the top three overall. And I hope that in some races he will be able to compete with Sergei Ustyugov and the rest. This will give him a good incentive to work further and visually show what to focus on at the final stage of preparation.

- And for the rest of your guys?

- Tasks for Alexey Chervotkin and Denis Spitsov - bright performances in separate disciplines. In the sprint they, unfortunately, are not yet ready to compete at the highest level. Now they need to be implemented at specific distances with an eye on Pyeongchang.

- Impressive breakthrough Natalia Nepryaeva in this season. For you, her results are a surprise?

"It all begins in the spring." I consider Natalia one of the most talented Russian skiers of the new generation. Last season, she turned out to be a failure, and it was hard for her to return to our group. But the main thing is that we managed to motivate her quickly enough for a new block of work. After all, winter achievements are always the result of summer work. At the same time, not everything was done, and Natalia's potential has not yet been revealed. She is just beginning to get into the taste.

- That is, five hits in the top ten is the usual level for it?

- The fourth place in the classic in Tobol (on clean time in pursuit), inspires optimism. Now I see Natalia during training a completely different view.

- I've often heard from well-known specialists that if you are not a supertalent like Claebot, you can not break into the ski elite at once. To go from top 10 to top 3 you need a few seasons. Do you think Nepryaeva can be in the top three now?

- By her giftedness, she is capable of three. And there are clear nuances at the expense of which it can take steps in this direction. I will not reveal them - this is our inner life. But you correctly say that it is very difficult to make huge steps at this level. At the same time, look at what Natalya did: last year she was at the end of the third decade, and now only once did not hit the top ten. We will work further. As for the Tour de Ski, it would be good for Nepryaeva to stay in the six.

- Bolshunov, Nepryaeva, Chervotkin and Spitsov - those four athletes from your group, whom are you waiting for at the Olympics?

- Unfortunately, the whole situation with the suspension is not over yet and so far it is not developing in our favor. If the team were in full force, this season the Russian team would be the strongest in the world. However, these groundless disqualifications hurt the team. The struggle for the Olympic quotas has noticeably weakened, and in this connection I expect that at least one more of my athletes will be taken to Pyeongchang.

- In conclusion, I would like to clarify your position on Ilya Chernousov. Did you understand correctly when a resonant interview was published in which the athlete was called a traitor?

- It was said after the interview, when we just talked. And my phrase started like this: "If suddenly it turns out, but I do not rule it out" ... And further on the text. I did not say that it was. Just assumed in a personal conversation, not suspecting that it would be published.

- Why did you assume that such an option is possible?

- It was said on emotions. I did not understand, and I do not understand why in the situation when Legkov is accused, Chernousov is silent. He can speak out in his defense, Ilya all this time he trained with Alexander side by side and his bronze in Sochi won largely thanks to this. His silence, of course, does not in itself mean anything. But somehow it's wrong ...