Alexander LEGKOV

Olympic debut

Alexander Legkov first appeared on the international stage in 2002, going in to race in every World Championship since his debut in 2005. He made his Olympic debut at Turin 2006 where he came 37th in the 30km double pursuit and 20th in the 50km classic. At that stage his goals were modest ones: “I was just happy to qualify and get to race in the Games!” he later said.

Four years later going into Vancouver 2010, he had loftier ambitions. Having taken his first World Cup victories and most notably coming second in the overall World Cup classification in 2007, he was in the running for an Olympic medal, but failed to finish on the podium

In the final of the 30km double pursuit on 20 February 2010 Legkov was in the lead group of four fighting for the victory only to fall on the hill leading into the Whistler Olympic Park stadium. He ended up fourth, a few seconds behind winner Marcus Hellner and just one second from the bronze medal.

On the road to Sochi

One of the highlights of Legkov’s career came on 6 January 2013 when he became the first Russian to win the FIS Tour de Ski. This multi-stage event is staged in five different venues over the course of a week, with races taking place over various distances and in both ski techniques. The Moscow native outclassed two Olympic champions, Dario Cologna (SUI) and Petter Northug (NOR) to take the win. The following season he took his sixth World Cup victory in the 15km classic in Toblach (ITA) just two weeks before the Sochi Games. “Now I know I’m ready both mentally and physically for Sochi. My time has come. I’ll give everything,” he said.

Moment of glory

Legkov’s time came at precisely 1.45pm on 23 February 2014, as he secured a dramatic victory in the50km mass start on the last day of the Sochi Games. Making a decisive breakaway on the final hill, before the Laura Ski Stadium he blew apart a tightly knit field, and then surged through the final 200m with the crowd urging him on. Team-mates Maxim Vyleghzhanin and Ilia Chernousov followed him to secure an unprecedented Russian triple on the podium.

As the race was the final event of the Games Legkov and his two compatriots were awarded their medals several hours later by IOC President Thomas Bach at the Closing Ceremony. “Before the race I was shaking and very nervous,” revealed Legkov. “I was full of all sorts of emotions but I couldn’t express them. This victory is priceless. It is worth more than my life. I can’t explain how I feel. I’ve been working towards this for more than 15 years!”