The head coach of the Russian cross-country skiing team, **Yuri Borodavko**, clarified why the three-time Olympic champion and world champion, Russian skier **[Alexander Bolshunov](https://example.com)**, is absent from the “Yugoria. First Snow” competition in Khanty-Mansiysk.

“What’s happening with Bolshunov? Nothing serious. Alexander is training hard and frequently; we just decided that it’s too early for him to compete. He’s focused on his preparations to achieve the best possible condition for the start of the season. Overall, we view this competition as a control training session, especially since we’ve only been on skis for seven days,” Borodavko stated during a broadcast on “Match TV.”

It’s worth noting that Russian skiers, like most other athletes, have been sidelined from international competitions due to their exclusion since 2022.