February 10, 2026 - Team USA’s Ben Ogden won the Olympic silver medal in the classic sprint at the Tesero Cross Country Skiing Stadium on Tuesday, ending a 50-year-long drought of American men on the Olympic podium.
Out of the qualification round, it was Ogden setting the tone, crossing the line in the second fastest time behind Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR). Ogden handily won his quarterfinal heat to punch his ticket to the semis where he placed third in his heat to make the finals.
Off the line, Ogden settled in alongside Klaebo and Oskar Opstad Vike of Norway, and immediately split up the field. With the three men charging up the hill, it was Klaebo vs. Ogden, or as ski fans would say, the “Klaebo Kick” vs the “Benny Shuffle.” Into the finishing straight, Ogden was second behind Klaebo. Across the finish, his hands shot straight up into the air; screams from his family members and the athletes and staff flooding the finish line were heard for miles, and Ben Ogden crossed the line to secure the first Olympic medal since Bill Koch in 1976.
“I have dreamed about being the one to bring home an Olympic medal for the Vermont cross country ski community and here we are,” said Ogden. “It’s unbelievable. I am so proud. I mean, you think about winning a medal so often, but I can confidently say that nothing prepares you for this.”
“I hope it gives the future of the sport in the U.S. a big boost. I know that Bill Koch winning his medal gave a big boost to all the young skiers and all the people who dreamed that the U.S. could be champions in cross country skiing. I hope that this will help propel us into the next 50 years.”
Norway’s Johannes Klaebo took his second gold medal of the 2026 Games, while his countryman Oskar Vike won the bronze. JC Schoonmaker rounded out the top 10 in eighth and the top Canadian was Antoine Cyr in 39th.
In the women’s classic sprint Julia Kern finished sixth in the final having made it through the quarterfinals and the semifinals as a lucky loser – it was her career-best Olympic result. The day belonged to Sweden as they swept the medals with Linn Svhan taking gold, Jonna Sundlin silver and Maja Dalhqvist winning bronze. Jessie Diggins (USA) finished 17th and the top Canadian was Jasmine Drolet in 43rd.
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