U.S. cyclist Kristen Faulkner claimed the gold medal in the women’s road race on Sunday, a victory made even more remarkable by the fact that her participation was nearly a last-minute decision.
The 31-year-old completed the 158-km race with a time of 3:49:23, overtaking the top three riders in the final stretch. “I knew I had to attack them as soon as we caught them. I knew they were sprinters. But I knew they didn’t want to work together – they were [from] three different countries. I knew if I got a small gap they would have to race for second,” Faulkner stated after securing the win.
Faulkner’s triumph came as a surprise to many, as she was a late addition to the U.S. team. Initially, Taylor Knibb and Chloé Dygert were selected for the women’s road cycling events. However, Knibb withdrew from the road race in early July to focus on the triathlon, paving the way for Faulkner. (Dygert, unfortunately, crashed on the first turn of the climb on the Cote de la Butte Montmartre with minutes left in the race, ultimately finishing in 15th place.)
This is the first time the U.S. has secured gold in this event in four decades, marking only the second time Team USA has achieved victory in the women’s road race. Connie Carpenter-Phinney claimed gold in 1984.
Faulkner, an Alaskan native, is considered a late bloomer in the sport. She didn’t start cycling until later in life, but her dominance has been evident in the last two years, with three Grand Tour stage wins to her credit. “This is a dream come true. I’m still looking at that finish line sign wondering how my name got there,” Faulkner expressed after her historic win.
The Netherlands’ Marianne Vos earned silver, while Lotte Kopecky of Belgium secured bronze.
