January 18, 2015 (Otepaa, Estonia) – Russia I with Alexey Petukhov and Sergey Ustiugov triumphed in the men’s 6×1.5km Team Sprint over Norway I’s Anders Gloeersen and Finn Haagen Krogh in a close match up that saw the two rivals escape on the final leg with Ustiugov besting Krogh at the line by 0.4s. In the battle for third Italy’s Dietmar Noeckler and Federico Pellegrino outpaced Switzerland II, Russia II and Norway II for the bronze.

Final podium © Nordic Focus

Canada’s Jesse Cockney and Len Valjas joined forces for a solid day, finishing eighth as they battled with Poland at the finish. In only their second team sprint relay together the Canadian duo advanced to the final after posting the third fastest time in a very quick semifinal heat.

“I skied a team sprint with Lenny just over two years ago in Quebec City and we finished 10th in the final in that one,” Cockney told SkiTrax. “We didn’t really do any practice as it’s pretty much just an intensity format with a small section to tag off in between. Conditions were decent but it deteriorated by the end of the day and got fairly slushy and slow.

Jesse Cockney (CAN) © Nordic Focus

“It’s a tough course as there’s no rest until all the climbing is done and it’s quite long too. I actually felt awful warming up for this race and really wondered if I was in shape to be on the start line so skiing well in the semifinal was pretty unexpected. The final was tough and a few tactical mistakes put Lenny and I back too many positions to make up significant ground on the leaders. Overall though it was a good day and I’m really psyched to get after it again next weekend in Rybinsk.”

Len Valjas (CAN) © Nordic Focus

The two American squads were shut out of the final as USA I’s Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell were not in contention following Hamilton’s late crash.

“Went down pretty hard in a gnarly pileup on the last team sprint lap today but better here than at Worlds! Who says XC doesn’t have carnage?,” tweeted Hamilton.

We caught up with Newell along the USA II’s Erik Bjornsen and Matt Gelso who is leading the SuperTour Series and is excited to be getting some World Cup experience under his belt.

“Not a while lot to add on the day but despite the crash (Simi went down on his last lap) I think it was a positive day for US. For me my skate skiing, power, and fitness was feeling a lot better than how it did during the TDS,” Newell told Trax. “I felt like I was able to accelerate and maneuver through the pack when I wanted to and control my positions. Simi and I had some great tags and I think we both skied well despite the crash. So bummer not to be able to practice more in the finals but it will keep us hungry for world champs.

Andrew Newell (USA) © Nordic Focus

Bjornsen has four team sprints under his belt, “This is not my first team sprint. I’ve done one at the Olympics, one at World Champs, and two on the World Cup. I’m starting to learn the format but I need more starts before I feel confident enough,” he emailed. “For some reason I always surprise myself in this event, I’m starting to wonder if its a race built for me. Today my tactics were to ski easy for the first couple of laps unless there was a break away, in that case I would have followed.

“The conditions were slow which I think caused everyone to be pretty gun shy for the first couple laps. When my third lap came around I was handed off to with a gap between me and the leaders. I was able to close the gap and make some passes to come in behind Norway 1, Poland 1, and right behind Norway 2. I was happy because I posted the fastest time on the last lap but I wish I would have had more confidence to make a move to the front when I had the opportunity,” he concluded.

Erik Bjornsen © flyingpointroad.com

This is Gelso’s second trip to the World Cup, but first to a World Cup in Europe. “My only other world cup races were in Canmore, Canada a couple years ago (2012) and they were only distance starts. Major impressions are that this is serious business for the World Cup athletes. A lot of thought and preparation goes into each start- this is their job. The fans over here a great too. This was not a hugely attended World Cup and there were still tons of people and beer tens and food and filled stands, and dance parties at night. It is certainly a scene,” he told Trax.

Gelso © Ian Harvey/Toko

“I didn’t really know what to expect. I had only done on team sprint before and it was six years ago and it was not serious. I have not watched team sprints on TV either so I didn’t know how they play out. Before the race I talked to Erik about it (he has done a fair number of them, most recently at the Olympics) and he gave me the run down of how the guys races usually play out. Chris Grover [Head Coach] gave me some heads up advice in the start pen as well.

“It was really fun out there. I wasn’t nervous, just excited to get out and ski with some of the worlds best. It is fun to ski well and be in the pack with guys you watch on TV and realize that they are athletes just like you,” he added.

Full results here.