15 kilometres (Classical), Men

The defending champion was Sweden’s Gunde Svan who was leading the World Cup standings in 1987-88 and would win the title that season. The 1987 World Champion had been Italy’s Marco Albarello. The early leader was Norwegian Pål Gunnar Mikkelsplass who posted 41:33.4 off the 29th start position. This held up for a long time. Soviet skier Vladimir Smirnov was ahead of the pace through the first two checkpoints, but fell back to 41:48.5 at the finish. Albarello started 61st but was never on pace for a medal and would eventually finish ninth. Svan was near the end, starting 84th, but he had wax problems and never came near the leading times, finishing 13th. Mikhail Devyatyarov started two spots later. At 4.6 km he was slightly behind Smirnov’s pace, but behind Mikkelsplass, but at 9.8 km, he was three seconds clear and he would only increase his margin throughout, winning in 41:18.9. Devyatyarov had won a bronze medal in this event at the 1987 World Championships and the relay but this was the highlight of his career. The 1989 World Championships would be won by Gunde Svan. This distance was not held again until 2002, going off the Olympic Program in favor of a 10 km race. The 83rd finisher was Fiji’s Rusiate Rogoyawa who learned to ski while studying electrical engineering in Norway. He did manage to beat two other finishers.