Alexei Poltaranin

Alexei Poltaranin
Alexei Poltaranin
Full name	Alexei Jurjewitsch Poltaranin Kazakh Алексей Юрьевич Полтаранин
nation	Kazakhstan
birthday	29th April 1987 (age 33)
place of birth	Leninogorsk ,  Soviet Union
size	186 cm
Weight	73 kg
Career
National squad	since 2004
status	blocked
Medal table
World Cup medals 0 × 0 × 2 × JWM medals 1 × 1 × 0 × U23 medals 0 × 2 × 0 × Asian Games Medals 4 × 1 × 1 ×
Nordic World Ski Championships bronze 2013 Val di Fiemme Team sprint bronze 2013 Val di Fiemme 50 km Mst C  Nordic Junior Ski World Championships gold 2004 Stryn 4 × 10 km silver 2007 Tarvisio 10 km F  Cross-country skiing U23 world championships silver 2008 times 15 km C silver 2009 Le Praz-de-Lys-Sommand 15 km F  Winter Asian Games silver 2007 Changchun Sprint F gold 2011 Almaty Sprint C gold 2011 Almaty Team sprint F. gold 2011 Almaty 30 km C gold 2011 Almaty 4 × 10 km bronze 2011 Almaty 10 km C
Placements in the cross-country skiing world cup
Debut in the World Cup March 6, 2005  World Cup victories in individual 5 ( details )  World Cup victories in stages 7 ( details )  Overall World Cup 4. ( 2012/13 )  Sprint World Cup 6. ( 2012/13 )  Distance World Cup 4. ( 2012/13 )  Tour de Ski 4. ( 2017/18 )
Podium placements 1. 2. 3.  Sprint races 1 2 0  Distance races 4th 4th 4th  Stage race 7th 4th 2  Team sprint 0 1 0
last change: September 3, 2019

Alexei Jurjewitsch Poltaranin ( Kazakh Алексей Юрьевич Полтаранин ; born April 29, 1987 in Leninogorsk ) is a Kazakh cross-country skier . He was arrested during the 2019 Nordic World Ski Championships on suspicion of blood doping .

Career

At the young age of 14, Poltaranin took part in the 2002 Junior World Championships in Schonach . By far the youngest starter in the field of participants over 10 kilometers freestyle surprised with 15th place out of 89 starters. In the sprint competition, he failed to qualify for the finals. He improved his performance a year later at the 2003 Junior World Championships in Sollefteå , where he classically fought eighth place over 10 kilometers and was 59th in the sprint. With the Kazakh relay, he just missed his first international medal and took fourth place. This place was Poltoranin also at the Junior World Championship 2004 in the Norwegian Stryn in the mass start competition over 30 kilometers classic. In the 10 kilometer freestyle competition, he was eighth again, while he was 50th in the sprint. However, the Kazakh squadron achieved a surprise success, which was just able to prevail against Germany and Russia. At the age of 17, Poltaranin first started in the cross-country skiing world cup in the 2004/05 season . In the relay competition in Gällivare he finished 16th with the Kazakh relay. He then had his first individual start at the World Cup in Lahti , where he finished 90th and last place over 15 kilometers of freestyle. At the Junior World Championships in 2005 in Rovaniemi , he came in the individual starts in 15 and 25 over 10 kilometers freestyle or in the pursuit competition. A year later he was able to improve his performance again at the Junior World Championships in 2006 in Kranj, Slovenia , and finished sixth in the 10 kilometer freestyle and eleventh in the pursuit competition. Due to his success in the junior division, Poltaranin was nominated for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin . In his only classic 15-kilometer start, he finished 39th out of 96 starters.

Poltaranin won his first World Cup points at his fourth start in the World Cup. In the Italian Cogne he finished 27th in the 2006/07 season over 15 kilometers classic. At the Universiade in Pragelato he fought fifth place over 10 kilometers freestyle and was eighth in the sprint competition. The good results in the season secured him the start at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo . In the sprint competition he reached the finals and sprinted 17th place. In the pursuit competition over 30 kilometers he was 32nd and seventh with the relay. Poltoranin won his first international individual medal at the 2007 Junior World Championships in Tarvisio . Over 10 kilometers freestyle he won the silver medal, while he was 16th in the pursuit race over 20 kilometers and 17th in the sprint. In the 2007/08 season he took part in the Tour de Ski . His best result was eleventh place over 15 kilometers classic in Nové Město . In the overall standings, he finished 45th. At the U23 World Cup in 2008 in Mals , Poltaranin won the silver medal over 15 kilometers classic.

His first top ten placement came in the 2008/09 season at the World Cup in Davos , where he was able to classically occupy ninth place over 15 kilometers. Poltaranin was also able to win a silver medal again at the U23 World Cup in 2009 in Praz de Lys Sommand . Over 15 kilometers of freestyle he only had to admit defeat to the Frenchman Maurice Manificat . In the pursuit competition, he took fifth place. At the Nordic World Ski Championships in Liberec in 2009 , he also knew how to convince in the classic 15-kilometer competition and achieved 16th place. Together with Nikolai Tschebotko , he finished seventh in the team sprint. In the sprint competition he was 45th and in the pursuit race over 30 kilometers 49th, while he finished tenth with the Kazakh relay. In the 2009/10 season he showed a further increase in performance and was able to place himself among the top 30 athletes in the World Cup several times and was also greatly improved in sprint competitions. After two victories at the Kazakh Championships 2010, which were held in Ramsau am Dachstein in mid-January , he also managed to reach the finals in the sprint competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver , which was held in the classic technique. In the end, he finished fifth. He also took this place together with Nikolai Tschebotko in the team sprint. Over 15 kilometers in the free technique he was 14th, over 30 kilometers classic (mass start) 27 and with the Kazakh cross-country relay 11th.

Right at the start of the 2010/11 season in Kuusamo , Poltaranin surprised with his first podium finish. In the sprint competition, he took second place behind John Kristian Dahl . Two weeks later he won his first World Cup victory on his parade route, the classic 15 kilometers. In Davos he won with a second advantage over the Russian Alexander Legkow .

At the end of January and beginning of February 2011 he took part in the 2011 Asian Winter Games in Almaty and celebrated a total of four wins, including the one with the team in the relay competition. At the Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 in Oslo , which took place a short time later , Poltaranin reached 31st place over 15 km in classic style. In the team sprint he just missed a medal in sixth place. With the relay he reached 13th place. At the end of the season he was able to come in 10th place at the Sprint World Cup in Lahti .

Poltoranin at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games

At the beginning of the 2011/12 season he won the 15 km stage race in Kuusamo . At the mass start in Rogla , Poltaranin was on the podium again for the first time in a World Cup and came third. At the Kazakh Championships in 2012 in Almaty, he won the sprint, skiathlon and silver medal over 10 km in classic style.

Poltaranin started the 2012/13 season with a second place in Gällivare before finishing the official World Cup opener in Kuusamo in third. At the Tour de Ski 2012/2013 , after two individual victories in Toblach and Val di Fiemme, he finished 11th and thus his best result to date. On January 19, 2013, he celebrated another safe victory in La Clusaz over 15 km . He was also successful again in the sprint in Davos. At the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2013 in Val di Fiemme, after finishing 11th in the sprint, he won the bronze medal in the team sprint and in the mass start over 50 km in classic style. With the Kazakh relay, he finished 13th. At the end of the season, Poltaranin achieved two second places in the World Cup in Lahti and Drammen. In the 2012/13 overall World Cup ranking, he finished fourth.

At the beginning of the 2013/14 season , Poltaranin took 18th place at the Nordic Opening . This was followed by second places in Lillehammer over 15 km freestyle and in Asiago in the sprint and team sprint. In the Tour de Ski 2013/14 , which he did not finish, he won the 15 km classic mass start race in Lenzerheide . In January 2014 he reached third place in the 15 km classic mass start race in Szklarska Poręba . At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi , he came in 15th place in the skiathlon, ninth place over 15 km classic and eighth place in the team sprint. The season ended in 12th place in the overall World Cup and sixth place in the distance ranking. In December 2014 he came eleventh at the Nordic Opening in Lillehammer. He finished the Tour de Ski 2015 in seventh place. Poltaranin took second place in the 15 km classic mass start race in Val di Fiemme and won over 10 km classic in Toblach . His best placings at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2015 in Falun were 13th place with the relay and seventh place in the 50 km classic mass start race. In the skiathlon he was 21st and in the sprint he reached 35th place. In March 2015, he took second place over 15 km classic at the World Cup race in Lahti . He finished eighth in the overall World Cup and seventh in the distance ranking. After 19th place at the Nordic Opening in Ruka at the beginning of the 2015/16 season, he finished fifth at the 2016 Tour de Ski . He took two third places and won the 15 km mass start race in Oberstdorf . At the end of the season he came in 12th place in the Ski Tour Canada and reached 16th place in the Distance World Cup and 11th place in the overall World Cup. His best individual result in the World Cup in the 2016/17 season was sixth place over 15 km classic in Otepää . At the Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti in 2017 , he finished 17th together with Iwan Ljuft in the team sprint, ninth place with the relay and seventh place over 15 km classic. After 11th place in the Ruka Triple at the beginning of the 2017/18 season, he came third in the pursuit race in Toblach. He finished fourth in the Tour de Ski 2017/18 . He won the 15 km mass start race in Fiemme Valley and finished second in Lenzerheide over 15 km classic. In January 2018 he triumphed in Planica over 15 km classic. At the season highlight, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang , he finished 17th in the sprint, 15th in team sprint and 50 km mass start race and eighth place in the relay. In March 2018, he clinched his 12th World Cup victory over 15 km in Lahti and finally achieved seventh place in the overall World Cup and sixth place in the Distance World Cup.

Suspected doping

After extensive raids by the Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office on the basis of investigations by the Munich public prosecutor's office on suspicion of blood doping , Poltaranin and other athletes were arrested in March during the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2019 . The International Ski Federation (FIS) then suspended him temporarily. A few days later he withdrew his confession and complained about the prison conditions in Austria.

Private

Poltaranin is married to the Kazakh biathlete Olga Poltaranina , and the couple has had a son since 2009.

successes

Victories in world cup races

World Cup victories in individual

No.	date	place	discipline
1.	December 11, 2010	Davos	15 km classic individual start
2.	19th January 2013	La Clusaz	15 km classic mass start
3.	February 16, 2013	Davos	1.5 km sprint classic
4th	January 21, 2018	Planica	15 km classic individual start
5.	4th March 2018	Lahti	15 km classic individual start

Stage victories in world cup races

No.	date	place	discipline	run
1.	November 27, 2011	Kuusamo	15 km pursuit classic 1	Nordic Opening 2011
2.	4th January 2013	Toblach	5 km classic individual start	Tour de Ski 2012/13
3.	5th January 2013	Val di Fiemme	15 km classic mass start	Tour de Ski 2012/13
4th	1st of January 2014	Lenzerheide	15 km classic mass start	Tour de Ski 2013/14
5.	January 7, 2015	Toblach	10 km classic individual start	Tour de Ski 2015
6th	January 6, 2016	Oberstdorf	15 km classic mass start	Tour de Ski 2016
7th	January 6, 2018	Val di Fiemme	15 km classic mass start	Tour de Ski 2017/18

¹ Counted as the winner due to the fastest running time.

Victories in Continental Cup races

No.	date	place	discipline	series
1.	December 16, 2012	St. Ulrich am Pillersee	15 km classic mass start	Alpine Cup
2.	February 9, 2019	Planica	15 km classic individual start	Alpine Cup

Participation in World Championships and Olympic Winter Games

Olympic games

Year and place	competition
	15 km	Skiathlon	50 km	sprint	Season	Team sprint
2006 Turin	39.	-	-	-	-	-
2010 Vancouver	14th	-	27.	5.	11.	5.
2014 Sochi	9.	-	15th	-	-	-
2018 Pyeongchang	-	-	15th	17th	8th.	15th

Nordic World Ski Championships

Year and place	competition
	15 km	Skiathlon	50 km	sprint	Season	Team sprint
2007 Sapporo	-	32.	-	17th	7th	-
2009 Liberec	16.	49.	-	45.	10.	7th
2011 Oslo	31.	-	-	-	13.	6th
2013 Val di Fiemme	-	-	3.	11.	13.	3.
2015 Falun	-	21st	7th	35.	13.	-
2017 Lahti	7th	-	-	-	9.	17th

Placements in the World Cup

World Cup Statistics

The table shows the placements achieved in detail.

• 1st – 3rd place: Number of podium placements
• Top 10: Number of places in the top ten
• Points ranks: Number of placements within the point ranks
• Starts: Number of races run in the respective discipline
• Note: In the distance races, the classification is based on the FIS.

placement	Distance races a					Skiathlon pursuit	sprint	Stage race b	total	team
	≤ 5 km	≤ 10 km	≤ 15 km	≤ 30 km	> 30 km					sprint	Season
1st place	1	1	8th			1	1		12
2nd place			6th			1	3		10	1
3rd place			3			1	1	1	6th
Top 10	2	1	26th	1		9	10	5	54	2	7th
Scoring	6th	8th	43	5	1	19th	27	12	121	5	14th
Starts	8th	8th	58	9	3	31	56	14th	187	5	14th
Status: end of season 2017/18

^a including individual starts and mass starts according to FIS classification

^bEntire race, not individual stages, e.g. B. Tour de Ski, Nordic Opening, season finale

World Cup overall placements

season	total		distance		sprint
	Points	space	Points	space	Points	space
2006/07	5	150.	5	99	-	-
2007/08	21st	107.	21st	63.	-	-
2008/09	57	82.	55	52.	2	109.
2009/10	90	69.	53	54.	37	57.
2010/11	226	34.	122	31.	72	34.
2011/12	368	26th	219	22nd	49	42.
2012/13	995	4th	521	4th	258	6th
2013/14	439	12.	267	6th	146	18th
2014/15	557	8th.	351	7th	14th	70.
2015/16	735	11.	375	16.	68	33.
2016/17	74	72.	66	49.	8th	74.
2017/18	797	7th	533	6th	15th	63.
2018/19	109	53.	109	31.	-	-

Web links

Commons : Alexei Poltaranin  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Alexei Poltaranin in the database of the International Ski Federation (English)
• Alexei Poltaranin in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original )

Individual evidence

1. ^ Nordic World Ski Championships: Nine arrests after doping raids. In: Spiegel Online . February 27, 2019, accessed February 27, 2019 . 
2. ^ Nordic World Ski Championships: Doping raid in Seefeld - nine arrests. In: sport.de. February 27, 2019, accessed February 27, 2019 . 
3. ^ Doping raid at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Seefeld - two ÖSV cross-country skiers arrested. In: spox.com. February 27, 2019, accessed February 27, 2019 . 
4. ^ Doping investigations: Doubts about Germany's cleanliness. In: sportschau.de. March 1, 2019, accessed March 1, 2019 . 
5. ↑ "Psychological trauma" suffered: Poltoranin withdrew confession (March 8, 2019)