Donald Miralle / Getty Images

Eugeni Dementiev of Russia celebrates winning the Gold Medal after victory in the Mens Cross Country Skiing 30km Pursuit Final on Day 2 of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games.

updated 3:41 p.m. ET Feb. 13, 2006

PRAGELATO, Italy - Eugeni Dementiev just wanted to stay with the leaders and give himself a chance at the end.

With such a deep and talented field, the Russian had no idea his plan would work so well.

He surged from behind and overtook several skiers in the final 100 meters to win the 30-kilometer men’s pursuit race Sunday for his first Olympic medal on the opening day of cross-country competition.

“I can’t believe this,” said Dementiev, who sat in 30th place after the classical portion of the race. “I have no words.”

Frode Estil of Norway recovered from a fall and broken ski at the mass start that cost him 45 seconds to take silver, and Italy’s Pietro Piller Cottrer settled for bronze. Dementiev won in 1 hour, 17 minutes and .8 seconds — six tenths of a second ahead of Estil.

Estil wasn’t sure who skied over him, but struggled to get up and then made it to the first curve where he got a spare ski from his waxer.

“I had a small accident, as some may have noticed,” the good-natured Estil said. “Someone broke my ski and I thought the race might be over. I found a new ski at the first curve and it was no disaster.”

Cottrer and countryman Giorgio di Centa entered into the stadium to cheers from the cowbell-clanging, beer-chugging fans who lined the course and packed the stadium area. They were looking for a 1-2 Italian finish and their country’s first gold medal, but were edged out at the end. Cottrer walked through the stadium afterward with an Italian flag draped over his shoulders.

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World champion Vincent Vittoz of France placed sixth, while World Cup leader Tobias Angerer of Germany was 12th after leading at several points. Angerer, who cramped up after the initial skating lap, is trying for his first individual Olympic medal in these games.

“I did all I could, but there was nothing more in there for me,” Angerer said. “I had light cramps in my arm. Of course, the disappointment is great but there are more races.”

A dozen men’s and women’s skiers were suspended five days for elevated hemoglobin in their blood, and several missed Sunday’s events. There is no proof the athletes doped. The result can be caused by dehydration or adjustment to high altitude, but it does suggest the possibility of illegal blood doping.

Most will be retested Monday and could be cleared to participate in later events at the games.

At one point early in the skate portion, Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic eased up, looked to Cottrer because he no longer wanted to expend so much energy in the lead, and let someone else do the work for a bit.

Vittoz struggled physically, which hindered his ability to move up in the crowded first pack.

“I gave it my best shot at the end,” Vittoz said. “But I had cramps in my legs and arms — everywhere — and it was tough to stay in the top group.”

Ivan Babikov, a Russian trying to become a Canadian citizen, stayed with the front pack the entire race — making yet another positive impression with a 13th-place showing. In December, Babikov was competing for Canada and wearing the red Maple Leaf but still listed as a Russian athlete because he is yet to gain citizenship in Canada.

Babikov has been returning to Russia to see his wife and toddler son and surprisingly made the country’s Olympic team after he thought he wouldn’t be racing here at all.

The Germans were without Axel Teichmann, the 2003 15-kilometer world champion who needed surgery on his right thigh because a hair got infected.

Athletes in the pursuit event change skis halfway through the race, going from classic skiing to skating.