A Minocqua native who competed for Team USA in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Beijing Olympics narrowly missed making the roster for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games, despite ranking high enough statistically to earn a spot.
Kevin Bolger finished 17th in the Men's Sprint at his first Olympics in Beijing, an experience that left him hungry for another Olympic run despite the COVID-19 restrictions that shaped those games.
"Us newbies were like, this is the first time. Like, we don't know, we have nothing to compare it to, so this is awesome. Like this is going to be sweet. I mean, the COVID stuff sucks, but we're just going to roll with it," Bolger said.
Without a spot on the national team this time around, Bolger had to self-fund his pursuit of making the 2026 Olympic roster, a costly endeavor that can reach tens of thousands of dollars over a World Cup season.
"We're funding our entire season. Plane tickets, lodging. The U.S. Ski team has waxers that they prepare all of our skis, and I had to bring my own personal waxer the last few weeks, so then I also had to pay for all of his travel, and he missed some work, so I have to pay for his salary as well," Bolger said.
Watch: Minocqua Olympian narrowly misses 2026 Winter Games roster after self-funding World Cup season
The National Nordic Foundation helps offset some costs for athletes who meet certain performance benchmarks or fundraising goals.
"They help out a ton, and there are different benchmarks with that foundation that if you race fast enough or help raise money for their foundation, they'll offset the cost of your total bill. So potentially there's a way that I could unlock, you know, 80% of my total bill covered by this foundation," Bolger said.
Statistically, Bolger had earned his spot, ranking 7th in World Cup points for 8 available Olympic positions. However, roster strategy gave the final two spots to skiers competing in different events.
Despite missing the team, Bolger and his family traveled to Italy as fans, cheering on his Swedish girlfriend Maja Dahlqvist, who won bronze in her event.
"I mean, it's every kid's dream when they're doing a sport and they start to do it, like the Olympics is the gold standard," Bolger said.
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