It is one of the strong images of the weekend.
Unfortunately, it is not a picture of joy but that of an incredible and improbable stroke of blood.
That of an assault.
The scene took place this Sunday during the cross-country skiing relay (4x7.5 km) of the World Cup stage in Lahti (Finland).
While the Norwegians largely dominated the race - the last torchbearer Simen Hegstad Krueger crossing the finish line more than a minute ahead of the competition - the fight rages on for 2nd place between Russian Alexander Bolshunov and Finnish Joni Maeki.
Lopettakaa se valitus ja tehkää rikosilmoitus # pahoinpitely'stä. # Bolshunov https://t.co/f2lkI3771b
- Arko Salminen 🇫🇮 (@ArkoSalminen) January 24, 2021
Maeki has entered the rightmost corridor, but Bolshunov tries to force his way.
In vain.
Angry, and believing to have been embarrassed, the 24-year-old Russian, four-time Olympic medalist in 2018, then hits his opponent for the first time with his ski pole, then tries to put a new - and violent - blow of the stick in a gesture in a bad mood.
The incident does not end there.
Once the line is crossed, Bolshunov, winner of the World Cup in the discipline last year, rushes directly at the Finn and hits him violently.
The latter, who celebrated 2nd place with his partners, is thrown to the ground where he will remain stunned.
Despite this gesture, the Finnish camp remained calm and did not react.
The Russian went to apologize a few seconds later.
😲🙅♂️ Kick his opponent in the middle of a sprint, tackle at the finish: Bolshunov cracked during the relay #ChaletClub
Surrealist images 👉 https://t.co/u3P7GDNYC0 pic.twitter.com/P98DffrPQB
- Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) January 24, 2021
But the damage is done.
The jury's verdict fell a few minutes later with the disqualification of the Russian relay for "unsportsmanlike behavior" by Bolshunov.
Third place therefore finally went to the second Russian team, which arrived about twenty seconds later.
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The France team has not made the trip to Finland because of cases of Covid in its ranks.