Ben is coming off an incredible Winter Olympic Games in Italy where he won two silver medals in the individual sprint and the team sprint, with teammate, Gus Schumacher. Both results were historic. The individual sprint medal was the first Olympic medal for a U.S. man in cross-country skiing in fifty years, since fellow Vermonter Bill Koch won silver at the 1976 Winter Olympics.

For decades, Koch’s medal stood as a symbol of what might be possible for American men in a sport long dominated by Scandinavia. And fittingly, Ben’s story is deeply connected to that history. He grew up just a few miles from Koch in southern Vermont, skiing in the same community and even spending countless hours as a kid skiing jumps and terrain in Koch’s backyard training playground.

Fast-forward to February 10th in Val di Fiemme, Italy — and suddenly that history came full circle. Ben put together the race of his career, skiing aggressively but with remarkable composure through the rounds before battling for silver in the Olympic final. An epic day in itself, Ben returned just a few days later with teammate, Gus, to compete in the team sprint event. And yet again, both athletes showed up composed, full of life, and ready to fight for a medal. It was a close race til the very end and the two guys walked away with a set of silver medals.

Today, I chat with Ben about both races. We discuss the journey that led him there, what it was like growing up in the shadow of Bill Koch’s legacy, some behind the scenes with his ski technician, Eli Brown, and some of the moments and perspectives you maybe haven’t heard yet.