LEAD: Russian home win in cross-country; first victory for Watabe

Feb 5, 2012, 13:20 GMT

Rybinsk, Russia - Maxim Vylegzhanin won from Ilia Chernousov but German Tobias Angerer prevented a Russian podium sweep by coming third in a 30km double pursuit cross-country ski race on Sunday.

The women's race saw Therese Johaug of Norway beat the World Cup leaders Justyna Kowalczyk and Marit Bjoergen while Akito Watabe of Japan got his first career victory in Nordic combined skiing in Italy.

Vylegzhanin, 29, took first place in 1 hour 20 minutes 37.6 seconds to record his second World Cup career victory in front of a Russian home crowd in Rybinsk.

Chernousov trailed by 8.0 seconds in second place and Angerer pipped Russian Eugeniy Dementiev for third in a photo-finish after both crossed the line 8.3 seconds behind the winner.

World Cup leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland and second-placed Norwegian Petter Northug did not make the trip to Russia.

Johaug dominated the women's 15km double pursuit in 42:41.4 minutes for her first season success and second overall.

Poland's Kowalczyk trailed by 26.9 seconds and the Norwegian Bjoergen was third, 52.9 seconds behind, the day after reaching the 50-victories milestone in a mass start race. The holder Kowalczyk is now two points ahead of Bjoergen again atop the World Cup.

In Val di Fiemme, Watabe held on to his lead from the morning ski-jumping portion in the 10km cross-country pursuit for his first Nordic combined victory in 28:27.8 minutes.

Mikko Kokslien of Norway missed victory by 3.0 seconds and American Bill Demong completed the podium in third place 3.9 seconds behind the winner at the venues for the 2013 world championships. World Cup leader Jason Lamy Chappuis of France was eighth.

Ski-jumping in Val di Fiemme was to complete the weekend programme in Nodic skiing later Sunday.