Skiing “In the evenings, it’s nice to sit down with the team and take a few glasses of vodka,” says Yelena Välbe, a sharp-tongued leader of Russian skiers.

Zhangjiakou

Aidan through it I see how a familiar character in the Zhangjiakou service area tones a cell phone in his ear towards a gate that is only accessible to athletes from different countries and other members of national teams.

I have been waiting Jelena Välbeä at the agreed meeting place, at the gate guarded by the Chinese organizers.

When a well-known leader of the Russian ski country team arrives at the gate, it immediately becomes clear that no interview will be conducted in the vicinity of the gate. Välbe, 53, hangs up and gestures to the reporter that here I am, here I am!

“All right,” Välbe immediately surprises by saying these words in Finnish.

A Russian maintenance man walking in the wake of a former ski star has promised to be an interpreter for an interview agreed through many bends, because the country’s ski country team “Bosslady” does not speak English – in his own words – at least very well.

“Normally, you have nothing to do here, but as a guest of Jelena, you have nothing to worry about. Let’s go there to our service booths, have an interview there, ”says the service man in fluent English.

That, of course, is a passport.

Beijing There are rooms one after the other inside the service building set up for the Olympics. The numbered doors are taped with paper tags showing the country codes.

The corridor has reserved rooms for national teams from Finland, Sweden and Norway, for example. We stop at door number 120. It is one of the ski stocks of the Russian team.

Among other things, the Russian ski star can be seen Sergei Ustjugov as well as the number one star in the country Alexander Bolshunov coach Yuri Borodavko, which presents the gifts he has acquired to Välbe. An adjoining foreign maintenance man asks Borodavko in English if Bolshunov has recovered properly after the pair print.

“I do not know. I haven’t talked to him since yesterday’s race yet, ”Borodavko says.

Described as the naughty, courageous, straightforward and funny mother figure of the Russian national team, Välbe exchanges a few more words in Russian with Bolshunov’s coach until we cram inside a ski-filled equipment box.

“At least we can be at peace here,” says Välbe.

Under the command of a 24-time value medalist, Russia has won the most cross-country medals at these Olympics before the weekend’s final trips, as many as nine. However, he refuses to say that Russia has become the number one country in the world for skiing.

“We have done great, but we are not the best country in the world. We are one of the best in the world, with 2-3 other tough competitors, ”says the Russian boss, referring to Norway, among other things.

“The success of the Olympics is really important to me. The gold medalists of the normal messages testified to our collective power, and our story does not necessarily go to three gold medals. And not at all, because it is our job to make a difference. Everything else is irrelevant. ”

Strongly nationalist Russian skiers have borne a heavy burden of pressure on their shoulders, as the country usually only means victory. However, the collapses have hardly been seen.

“We succeed now, first of all, because there are really many top talent on our team that are highly motivated at the same time. In addition, all of our national team skiers train incredibly, ”Välbe says.

“Admittedly, no one in the world can train as much as Bolshunov. I’m not quite sure about that, but I understand he trains 12,000 to 13,000 miles a year. He’s one of the best skiers because he also listens to his coach – and never seeks anything other than victory in a race. The will to win is paramount. ”

In Zhangjiakou’s Olympic landscape, Välben has often been seen hugging and kissing Bolshevov in the traditional Russian way, having already grabbed four medals at the Games.

“We have a very good relationship with Sasha. I feel like a friend of his. ”

Here In this respect, the speech naturally turns to Finland’s number one cannon Iivo Niskaseen, to a three-time Olympic champion. Välbe laughs and spins his head, obviously in disbelief.

“Everyone knows that Iivo’s traditional technology is perfect, incredibly ideal. I’ve seen some of Iivo’s training sessions here, and they’ve made a lasting impression. I respect the man and the way he is able to push himself to the extremes, ”Välbe praises.

“I don’t know Iivo closely, but he seems like a really nice guy. He seems to have the same will to win as Sasha, and I am not surprised. I already said in Pyeongchang in 2018 that Iivo will win 15 kilometers in Beijing in 2022. ”

Before the start of the season, Bolshunov and Niskanen were camping in Finnish Lapland at the same time. They were seen in Olon Olon running even joint training runs.

“Bolshunov greatly respects Iivo. Of course, they are the best of the best in the traditional. I believe that Bolshunov also likes Iivo as a person, but because he does not speak English, it is difficult to build a clear friendship, ”Välbe knows.

Read more: The behavior of Iivo Niskanen and Aleksandr Bolshunov is appreciated in Russia

We’re moving in an interview naturally from one theme to another, but in between it’s good to bite oxygen and take a few pictures at the same time. A skier walks in front of the door of the service building, whose appearance cannot be mistaken for a face mask.

Norwegian superstar Therese Johaug smiles wide when he sees Välben. Johaug, who won two gold medals at the Beijing Games, asks in Russian what the Russian belongs to.

“I am very well. There is nothing to complain about, ”Välbe replies in English.

The encounter between the two greats of skiing history is reminiscent of the Lahti World Championships in 1989, where Välbe beat himself through, winning two personal world championships. In those races, he fought hard Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemiä and Marjo Matikaista against.

We’re talking about the latter because he unexpectedly ended his career after the home races, only at the age of 24.

“Marjo was a close friend to me and a really tough opponent. It is annoying that he quit at such a young age. He would certainly have won several more medals, ”Välbe thinks.

With special warmth, Välbe is reminiscent of a ski legend Juha Mietoawhich she matured to punch behind the scenes at the Lahti World Championships in Skiing 2017.

“Juha is my great hero – has always been. I remember as a young girl gluing her pictures to the wall of my room and writing all kinds of fun about her in my diary. It was not that kind of romantic love, but something of inexplicable respect, ”Välbe explains.

“When Juha was in Lahti in 1989 handing me a gold medal, I was stunned and went speechless for a moment. While Juha was still shaking hands with me, I thought I would never wash my hands again, ”he continues with a laugh.

Russian members of the national team have often received hits from Välbe’s sharp, sometimes cruel and frantic feedback. In return, insider sources say Välben is a very human leader.

Growing up in the strict grip of Soviet communism, Välbe emphasizes his desire to build a “family atmosphere” on the Russian national team.

“I sometimes have conflicts with our athletes because I am an impulsive person. On the other hand, I am an easy person in the sense that I can get along with everyone. I want the Russian national team to be like a family where everyone respects each other, ”Välbe points out.

“I grew up in a culture where I was taught to talk about things directly. I will continue to do so if I feel like it. But there will also be no time when I will not defend my defenders. ”

Välbe says at the end of the interview that he is “doing very well these days”.

“I enjoyed my job immensely. While the pressure is often intense, in the evenings it’s nice to sit down with the team and take a few glasses of vodka, ”he sums up.

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