Johnson Can’t Keep Up Pace

For the better part of Sunday’s 50-kilometer race at Pragelato Plan, U.S. cross-country skier Andrew Johnson looked strong in keeping up with the lead pack.

It was the final five kilometers that got to him.

“I kind of blew up at the end,” he said.

When the leaders quickened the pace, Johnson could not respond, finishing almost two minutes back in 34th place.

The result marked another disappointment for a men’s team that figured to have an outside shot at a medal at the 2006 Turin Games.

“We were all hoping for more,” Johnson said. “It just didn’t come together for us.”

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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

MEN’S 50 KILOMETERS

1. Giorgio di Centa, Italy, 2:06:11.8; 2. Eugeni Dementiev, Russia, 2:06:12.6; 3. Mikhail Botwinov, Austria, 2:06:12.7; 4. Emmanuel Jonnier, France, 2:06:13.5; 5. Pietro Piller Cottrer, Italy, 2:06:14.0; 6. Anders Soedergren, Sweden, 2:06:14.1; 7. Martin Koukal, Czech Republic, 2:06:14.9; 8. Jiri Magal, Czech Republic, 2:06:15.1; 9. Vincent Vittoz, France, 2:06:16.4; 10. Mathias Fredriksson, Sweden, 2:06:17.1; 11. Jean Marc Gaillard, France, 2:06:19.9; 12. Sergei Dolidovich, Belarus, 2:06:22.4; 13. Maxim Odnodvortsev, Kazakhstan, 2:06:23.4; 14. Martin Bajcicak, Slovakia, 2:06:24.9; 15. Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Norway, 2:06:26.2; 16. Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic, 2:06:29.0; 17. Jens Filbrich, Germany, 2:06:31.1; 18. Nikolai Pankratov, Russia, 2:06:33.9; 19. Fabio Santus, Italy, 2:06:38.2; 20. Alexander Legkov, Russia, 2:06:39.7; 21. Remo Fischer, Switzerland, 2:06:40.9; 22. Juan Jesus Gutierrez, Spain, 2:06:43.3; 23. Diego Ruiz, Spain, 2:06:51.6; 24. Tobias Angerer, Germany, 2:07:00.3; 25. Johan Olsson, Sweden, 2:07:00.9.

26. Alexandre Rousselet, France, 2:07:01.5; 27. Milan Sperl, Czech Republic, 2:07:01.9; 28. Frode Estil, Norway, 2:07:06.1; 29. Andrey Golovko, Kazakhstan, 2:07:19.6; 30. Fulvio Valbusa, Italy, 2:07:22.5; 31. Nejc Brodar, Slovenia, 2:07:24.5; 32. Toni Livers, Switzerland, 2:07:25.4; 33. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway, 2:07:36.2.; 34. Andrew Johnson, Greensboro, Vt., 2:07:56.3; 35. Aivar Rehemaa, Estonia, 2:08:00.8; 36. Rene Sommerfeldt, Germany, 2:08:03.0; 37. Denis Krivushkin, Kazakhstan, 2:08:05.3; 38. Ivan Babikov, Russia, 2:08:07.9; 39. Markus Hasler, Liechtenstein, 2:08:29.0; 40. Alexander Lasutkin, Belarus, 2:08:40.4; 41. Jan Egil Andresen, Norway, 2:08:43.7; 42. Vicente Vilarrubla, Spain, 2:09:03.1; 43. Teemu Kattilakoski, Finland, 2:09:26.2; 44. George Grey, Canada, 2:09:38.4; 45. Michal Malak, Slovakia, 2:09:38.7; 46. Zsolt Antal, Romania, 2:10:06.7; 47. Ivan Batory, Slovakia, 2:10:32.2; 48. Li Geliang, China, 2:10:36.9; 49. Katsuhito Ebisawa, Japan, 2:10:39.6; 50. Christian Stebler, Switzerland, 2:11:13.0.

Others included: 61. Kris Freeman, Andover, N.H., 2:15:32.6; Carl Swenson, Park City, Utah, did not finish; James Southam, Anchorage, did not finish.

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MEDAL WINNERS

MEN’S 50 KILOMETERS

GOLD

* Giorgio di Centa, Italy

SILVER

* Eugeni Dementiev, Russia

BRONZE

* Mikhail Botwinov, Austria