The United States’ long wait for a men’s Olympic cross-country skiing medal is finally over.
Ben Ogden delivered a breakthrough performance Tuesday at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, capturing silver in the men’s cross-country skiing sprint and becoming just the second American man in history to win an Olympic medal in the sport. Ogden’s finish ends a 50-year drought dating back to Bill Koch’s silver medal in the 50-kilometer classic at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Games.
The connection between the two Vermonters runs deep. Ogden grew up skiing in the Bill Koch Youth Ski League and has trained alongside the American legend. On the Olympic stage, Ogden produced a performance worthy of that legacy, using his strong classic technique to surge across the finish line in 3 minutes, 40 seconds.
Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo once again proved unbeatable in sprint racing, winning gold in 3:39 to claim his seventh Olympic gold medal. Norwegian teammate Oskar Opstad Vike earned bronze in his Olympic debut, rounding out a strong showing for Norway.
Ogden showed early he would be a contender, posting the second-fastest time in qualification. In the quarterfinals, he skied aggressively, accelerating on a climb to move from second place to the lead and pulling away from the field.
The semifinals delivered one of the race’s most dramatic moments. Klæbo briefly trailed Ogden before accelerating into contention, while Ogden battled Finland’s Lauri Vuorinen in a tight fight for second. A photo finish gave Vuorinen the heat win, but Ogden advanced to the medal round as the fastest “lucky loser.”
The United States had strong depth in the event, with three American men qualifying for the sprint classic. JC Schoonmaker executed a tactical semifinal race, waiting until after the climb to draft and launch a late surge that ultimately secured him a spot in the final alongside Ogden.
In the championship race, Ogden’s composure and technique carried him onto the podium — and into American cross-country skiing history.
His silver medal not only honors Koch’s pioneering achievement five decades ago, but also signals a new era for U.S. men’s cross-country skiing on the Olympic stage.
