Ben Ogden Makes History with Silver Medal as USA Ends 50-Year Cross-Country Skiing Drought

Ben Ogden made American Olympic history on Tuesday at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, winning silver in the men's cross-country skiing classic sprint to end a 50-year medal drought for United States men in the discipline. The 26-year-old finished just 0.8 seconds behind Norway's dominant Johannes Høsflot Klaebo, who captured his seventh career Olympic gold medal with a commanding performance at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

Klaebo separated from the field with a punishing late uphill run to cross the line in 3 minutes, 39.74 seconds, easing off in the home stretch as his victory became certain. Ogden fought valiantly to stay within striking distance, finishing in 3:40.54 to claim the first Olympic cross-country medal for a U.S. man since Bill Koch's silver in the 30-kilometer race at the 1976 Innsbruck Games. Norway's Oskar Opstad Vike took bronze, finishing 6.8 seconds behind Klaebo.

The breakthrough performance marks a watershed moment for American cross-country skiing, which has long struggled to compete with the traditional Nordic powerhouses. Ogden becomes just the second U.S. man ever to win an Olympic cross-country medal, joining Koch in the record books. The result validates years of development efforts by U.S. Ski and Snowboard to build competitive programs in disciplines historically dominated by European nations.

Klaebo's victory further cements his status as one of the greatest cross-country skiers in Olympic history. At 29 years old, the Norwegian star now has seven gold medals across three Olympic Games, putting him within reach of the all-time Winter Olympics record. His ability to dominate the sprint events while also excelling in distance races makes him a rare dual-threat talent in the sport.

The race unfolded in classic sprint format, with skiers advancing through qualifying rounds, quarterfinals, and semifinals before the six-man final. Ogden executed his race strategy perfectly, conserving energy in the earlier rounds before unleashing a powerful effort in the final. His technique on the challenging uphill sections impressed observers, demonstrating the technical improvements American skiers have made in recent years.

The silver medal provides a major confidence boost for the U.S. cross-country team, which has struggled to reach the podium at these Games. While teammate Jessie Diggins was eliminated in the women's sprint quarterfinals earlier the same day, Ogden's historic achievement offers hope that American skiers can compete at the highest level. The result also highlights the growing depth of talent in U.S. Nordic skiing programs, suggesting more success could be on the horizon in future competitions.