The first Russian Tour de Ski champion! How Terentyeva made history
Yulia Sidorova December 30, 2023, 15:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Natalya had no equal in the 2021/2022 season. And this was one of the last victories of our sport before the suspension.
On December 30, the prestigious multi-day Tour de Ski 2023/2024, one of the premier events in the world of skiing, began in Toblach, Italy. For the second consecutive season, Russian athletes do not participate in competitions. But before the suspension, it was the Russian who won the main title of the tournament!
We remember the victory of the dazzling Natalya Nepryaeva (and after her marriage, Terentyeva) in the Tour de Ski of the 2021/2022 season. This was one of the last great victories of national sports before the suspension began.
You can feel nostalgic by watching the video of the awards ceremony:
Video
Despite the sanctions, Nepryaeva received the Russian flag and anthem. Was that really possible?
The Russian woman made history
Last season, with the participation of Russian skiers in the Tour de Ski, Natalya Nepryaeva made an incredible breakthrough for our sport. Previously, only men from Russia won the stage race (Alexander Legkov, Sergey Ustyugov and Alexander Bolshunov). And in January 2022, our skier conquered the Tour for the first time. Nepryaeva won the overall classification, ahead of her closest pursuer by as much as 46.7 seconds!
Before this success, Natalia came second twice behind Norwegians Østberg and Johaug, and on the third attempt she took what was rightfully hers!
Natalya Terentyeva (Nepryaeva)
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/Getty Images
In all the Tour races at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, he was outside the top 10 only once, took two victories (in the sprint and in the mass start in classic style) and also took bronze in the 10 kilometers . classic.
I controlled the situation
In the final race up Alpe de Cermis, Terentyeva had to be patient. Yes, she was leading the general classification and had a minute and 12 seconds advantage over her rivals, but the brutal final climb often broke the leaders and allowed them to recover differences. And Natalya held on until the end.
On this treacherous mountain, the Russian could not keep up with the pace of the race leaders, Andersson and Weng, but she remained in fourth position, controlling the situation and watching the backs of her rivals. They should have been able to separate themselves from Natalya for more than a minute, but they couldn’t. At some point, Nepryaeva found a second wind and stopped lagging behind. And 400 meters from the finish line, the Russian’s victory in the Tour de Ski general classification left no room for doubt.
Natalya had no equal!
Nepryaeva finished fourth in the race and simply collapsed in the snow out of helplessness. However, of course, she understood that she had won and made history.
Natalya Terentyeva (Nepryaeva)
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/Getty Images
The difference with the Swede Ebba Anderson in the last race of the Tour was only 25 seconds, which, taking into account the Russian’s much greater advantage before the day of the final, left Natalia in first position.
At the award ceremony, the Russian was already smiling happily.
Less than two months later, Natalya, along with her teammates, won relay gold at the Olympics and won the Grand Crystal Globe ahead of schedule. It was an incredible season named after her! There is no doubt that she would continue destroying her rivals in the next one. What a pity that we will not see Terentyeva in this Ski Tour and in the World Cup.
Natalya received her Globe in the mail:
“They messed with me a little bit.” Nepryaeva will not be able to fully celebrate her victory at the World Cup
