Day 4 of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics delivered a watershed moment for American skiing as Ben Ogden claimed a historic silver medal in the men's cross-country sprint classic. His performance ended a half-century drought for U.S. men in the sport, electrifying the crowd in Tesero and setting the tone for a pivotal day for Team USA. Meanwhile, the stakes couldn't be higher on the curling ice, where the mixed doubles duo of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse are poised to battle Sweden for gold, having already guaranteed the program's first-ever Olympic medal in the discipline.
Ben Ogden Breaks the 50-Year Curse
For decades, American men's cross-country skiing has chased the ghost of Bill Koch, whose silver medal at the 1976 Innsbruck Games stood as a solitary beacon of success. On Tuesday, Ben Ogden finally joined him. In a grueling sprint classic final against a field of Nordic giants, the 26-year-old Vermonter surged to a second-place finish, clocking a time of 3:40.61.
Ogden's race was a masterclass in tactical patience and explosive power. While Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo—the dominant force in modern sprinting—pulled away on the final climb to secure his seventh Olympic gold, Ogden refused to fade. He fought off a fierce challenge from Norway's Oskar Opstad Vike to cross the line just 0.87 seconds behind Klæbo. "It’s been a long time coming for this team," Ogden said moments after the race. "To be the one to break that barrier is surreal, but this is for everyone who has pushed this program forward over the last 50 years."
Curling: "Korey and Cory" Go for Gold
While Ogden was rewriting history on the snow, Team USA's mixed doubles curling team was preparing to make some of their own on the ice. The dynamic duo of Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse have already secured a guaranteed medal—the first for the United States in mixed doubles history—but they have their sights set firmly on the top of the podium.
The pair advanced to the gold medal match after a thrilling 9-8 semifinal victory over the host nation, Italy, on Monday. That win was a testament to their resilience; facing a hostile home crowd and the defending Olympic champions, Dropkin and Thiesse rallied with a clutch two-point final end to seal the upset. They now face the formidable Swedish siblings, Isabella and Rasmus Wranå, in a high-stakes final scheduled for 12:05 p.m. ET today. Regardless of the outcome, their run has been a breakout performance for U.S. curling, but the golden sheen is within reach.
Heartbreak and Triumph in the Team Combined
The debut of the team combined event brought a mix of emotions for the American women. All eyes were on Alpine superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, who partnered with downhill specialist Breezy Johnson. Johnson, fresh off her gold medal win in the individual downhill earlier in the Games, put the team in a strong position with a blistering opening run. However, the slalom leg proved tricky.
Shiffrin, looking to shake off early jitters from her individual events, put down a solid run but couldn't quite close the gap on the leaders. The pair finished a heartbreaking fourth, missing the podium by a razor-thin margin of 0.06 seconds. Austria's duo of Ariane Rädler and Katharina Huber took the gold.
Wiles and Moltzan Salvage Bronze
Despite the disappointment for Shiffrin and Johnson, Team USA did not leave empty-handed. The pairing of Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan delivered a stunning performance to capture the bronze medal. Moltzan's aggressive slalom run was the catalyst, vaulting the team up the standings and ensuring two American teams finished in the top four—a testament to the depth of the U.S. women's alpine squad.
Medal Count and What's Next
As Day 4 progresses, the 2026 Winter Olympics medal count is beginning to take shape. Team USA has now tallied at least four medals, with two golds (Johnson in downhill, Figure Skating Team Event), Ogden's silver, and the Wiles/Moltzan bronze. That total will grow later today with the addition of a silver or gold from the mixed doubles curling final.
Globally, Norway and Switzerland are setting the pace in the gold medal race, while Italy is leveraging its home-field advantage to rack up the highest total medal count. But for American fans, Tuesday belongs to Ben Ogden and the promise of more history on the curling sheet. As the Games continue, the momentum from these breakthrough performances could be the catalyst Team USA needs to climb the leaderboard.
