Winter Olympics: Alexander Bolshunov wins astonishing skiathlon gold

Russian Alexander Bolshunov decimated the field to win 30km skiathlon gold at the Winter Olympics as Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave finished 17th.

Bolshunov, a four-time medallist in Pyeongchang in 2018, fell early on but launched a solo break in the second half of the race.

He won by an astonishing one minute 11 seconds in an event normally decided by the smallest of margins.

«That was absolutely wild, how fast he went,» Musgrave told BBC Sport.

Bolshunov has finished on the podium in every Olympic event he has entered.

The 25-year-old world champion, who is expected to take part in five more events in Beijing, greeted compatriot Denis Spitsov with a hug as he crossed the line to take silver, with Finland's Iivo Niskanen winning bronze.

The 2018 Olympic champion, Norway's Simen Hegstad Kruger, was absent after testing positive for Covid-19.

Four years ago Musgrave placed seventh in the skiathlon, the best performance by a British cross-country skier at an Olympics.

But the 31-year-old, who grew up in Scotland and is now based in Norway, could not repeat or better that on a brutal course in his fourth Games.

«It was a battle. It is one of the most nuts races there has been. The gaps were massive and it is one of the hardest races I've done,» Musgrave said.

«It was horrific. I was wrecked the whole thing.»