April 05, 2019 (Quebec City, QC) – In this edition of Talkin’ With the Gravy Train, our host Peter Graves talks with legendary Alex Harvey, 30, who celebrated a storybook ending to his stellar career, winning back-to-back silver medals on home snow in sunny conditions for a dream weekend finale, as massive crowds cheered him on at the FIS XC Ski World Cup finals Quebec City Mar. 22-24.

Harvey brought the country to its feet once again on the final weekend besting Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov in the final sprint to the line on the Plains of Abraham to claim his second silver of the weekend, as the crowd roared approval.

Harvey secured 32 World Cup podiums, including seven victories, and five World Championship medals. His first World Cup podium also occurred on home snow in 2009 when he teamed up with George Grey to win the bronze in Whistler, B.C.

He teamed with Devon Kershaw as the duo took things to a new level in 2011 when they became the first Canadian men ever to win a World Championship cross-country ski race, claiming the gold in the team sprint at the birthplace of the sport in Oslo, Norway. They celebrated the breakthrough by playing air guitar with their skis in the finish corral.

His biggest win came in 2017 when he became Canada’s first World Champion in an individual cross-country ski race, winning the feature event – the men’s 50-kilometre race. Harvey also became the first non-European male to reach the overall podium of the Tour de Ski in January of 2018. His greatest emotional victories and podiums were on home snow in Quebec City. “Emotionally this is the number one weekend for me in my career,” said Harvey of his final weekend of racing.

In three trips to the Olympic Winter Games, his best finish came in 2018 when he finished six seconds off the podium in fourth in the 50km CL event at PyeongChang as and Olympic medal eluded the talented Canuck.

“To end my career with two podiums makes me feel even better about my decision. It’s a special day and I wanted to give my best, I always wanted to stop while being at the top, and even if it was a tough season for me, I think the last two weeks have been really good. The time is right,” said Harvey, dubbed the Prince of Quebec, and now recognized as the King of Canadian cross-country skiing. Now it’s time for his law career, Christmas at home, and perhaps starting his own family.

Interview with Alex Harvey