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When cross country skier Ben Ogden won a silver medal in the classic sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, he broke a 50-year medal drought for American men. The last American man to medal in cross country skiing was Bill Koch, Ogden’s Vermont neighbor and skiing mentor. Ogden, who began skiing in Koch’s backyard as a kid, followed those ski trails right into the Olympics. He celebrated by doing a backflip off the podium.
Ten days later, Ogden raced to a second silver medal in the men’s team relay with teammate Gus Schumacher. Ben Ogden is now the most decorated men’s cross-country skier in U.S. Olympic history.
Ogden grew up in Landgrove and attended the University of Vermont, where he was a three-time NCAA cross country ski champion. This was his second Winter Olympics.
Less than a week after standing on an Olympic podium, Ogden is back racing on the World Cup circuit in Europe. That’s where I caught up with him.
The following excerpt is edited for clarity and length. Click on the audio bar above to listen to the complete interview.
David Goodman
How does it feel to be the most successful men’s cross country skier in U.S. Olympic history?
Ben Ogden
It’s astonishing. The Olympics are something that I’ve thought about for so long. I’m so lucky to have been the one who was able to end the 50 year medal drought and get on the podium again with my teammate Gus in the team sprint. I’m still processing it. I’m pretty fired up.
David Goodman
You grew up skiing with Bill Koch and his family and you spoke with him after you won your medals. What did he say to you?
Ben Ogden
He said congratulations and how proud he was and how excited that he was that the next medal was coming back to Vermont. He said it feels like the culmination of so many years of work and effort from so many in that community. And then he said, “Prepare yourself. Life is going to be look a little different from here on out.”
David Goodman
What did you learn from Bill Koch?
Ben Ogden
The most important things I learned from Bill Koch when I was younger was about spending time on skis in many ways. It’s important to do proper training and learn technique but it’s also important to build jumps and ski through the woods and crash just to get good on your skis and get comfortable. We often race when it’s slushy or strange, unusual conditions. And all those years I spent skiing with Bill through the woods really set me up to be very comfortable no matter the conditions, no matter the skis, no matter the race. Bill just taught us to love the sport. He just loves to ski.
David Goodman
As you approached the sprint classic final, you knew that you would be up against Johannes Hosflot Klaebo of Norway, who has now won 11 Olympic gold medals and is the winningest Nordic skier of all time. To get to the podium, you would have to get through him. What was your plan?
Ben Ogden
In the semi-final, my plan was to just go side by side with him and the two of us were able to get a little bit away from the rest of the people. In the final, I just employed the exact same strategy. And of course, he passed me at the end. He’s just so unbelievably good. It’s wild but the strategy worked and I was able to get second, which was pretty cool.
David Goodman
How surprised were you in that race that you were able to maintain that second position?
Ben Ogden
I was really surprised. Once I looked around halfway through the last round and realized it was just me and two other Norwegians, you just get this insane mental boost and you just are like, Oh my god, this is my chance to do it. I don’t remember it being hard at all from there on out.
David Goodman
Let’s talk about your second silver medal, the men’s team relay that you were competing together with Gus Schumacher. You and Gus go way back and have been trying to beat each other for years.
Ben Ogden
Gus and I were big time rivals. For so many years, he was my ultimate motivator during the season and offseason. I would do an extra pull up or whatever just so that I could be sure I’m going to beat Gus this year, and I think I was the same for him. We’ve been really bolstered by our feeling of taking on the Norwegians together. This outing at the Olympics was like the icing on the cake.
David Goodman
In the last lap of the relay, you had set up Gus to be in second position. He was skiing right on the tails of Klaebo and it even looked like Gus might pass him. What did you see in that final battle between the two of them?
Ben Ogden
It was insane. I just saw Gus going out of the gate stride for stride with Klaebo. And I was like, I think he’s going to do it. And then up the hill, Klaebo did his move and that’s usually when he’s in a league of his own. All of a sudden, Gus was still there at the top. I thought, Oh my God. I was sprinting over to the finish line and just freaking out. And then Gus came down the hill and came in second place. It was just the most special moment. I’ll never forget it.
David Goodman
Your dad, John, who passed away in 2023 has been with you in spirit. What has he meant to you both through your life and in these Olympics?
Ben Ogden
My dad loved cross country skiing, and he loved watching me and my sisters race. Going into this Olympics, I thought about how my dad would have just said, “Man, it’s only three minutes of discomfort, and this could be a moment that you never forget for the rest of your entire life.” That was highly motivating. I’m lucky to know that my dad knew I was capable of this.
David Goodman
You are in another very select club: Olympic knitters. What does knitting do for you?
Ben Ogden
I thrive when I have other things to think about than ski racing. After a race I can be frustrated, psyched, overwhelmed. I can start going on the knitting and within two hours I could just be totally back down to neutral. So it’s pretty sweet.
David Goodman
One fifth of the medals won by the U.S. at these Winter Olympics were by athletes who have lived or trained in Vermont. What is it about Vermont that prepared you and so many others to compete at that level?
Ben Ogden
Something that Vermonters do regardless of whether they’re an athlete or just provide for their families or keep their farm going or start their business is just put their head down and grind. That’s part of the reason why you see so many good Nordic skiers from Vermont.
