Ilia Chernousov Russian skier Country: Russia

Biography of Ilya Chernousov

Ilya Chernousov is a Russian cross-country skier born on August 7, 1986, in Novosibirsk, Russia. He started skiing at the age of two, following in the footsteps of his older brother Alexey. Chernousov joined the ski section of DYSSH SORAN in Novosibirsk's Akademgorodok in 1995. His parents instilled in him a love for physical activities from an early age, and every summer, the Chernousov family would go on backpacking trips to Altai, which greatly contributed to Chernousov's physical fitness.

Chernousov's first coach was Viktor Gennadievich Kirgintsev, an honored coach of Russia. He was included in the Russian national team in 2004. His debut in the World Cup came on November 18, 2006, when he entered the top thirty in the 15 km freestyle race. In 2007 and 2008, he became a two-time vice-world champion among under-23 racers, excelling in the 15 km and 30 km freestyle races, only losing to the renowned Swiss skier Dario Cologna. He was also a reserve for the Russian Olympic team at the Vancouver Olympics.

Chernousov, along with his colleague and friend Alexander Legkov, trains in a separate group led by Swiss coach Reto Burgermeister. The group is responsible for medical support, massage, physiotherapy, and organizational matters, which are taken care of by Isabel Knaute. In 2020, Chernousov changed his sporting citizenship to Switzerland, his spouse's country, and began competing under the Swiss flag in the 2020/2021 season.

He has achieved numerous successes in his career, including silver and bronze medals in various World Cup stages. Chernousov won the silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in the 50 km mass start freestyle event. However, in November 2017, the International Olympic Committee stripped his compatriots Alexander Legkov and Maxim Vylegzhanin of their Olympic medals due to anti-doping rule violations. As a result, Chernousov was awarded the gold medal in the event.

In addition to his World Cup achievements, Chernousov has also participated in marathons and won the Marchalonga, a 70 km ski marathon, in 2018. He is only the second representative of the USSR/Russia to win this prestigious event, after Ivan Garanin in 1980. Despite facing challenges and controversies throughout his career, Chernousov's dedication and talent have helped him establish himself as one of Russia's top cross-country skiers.