Kristen Faulkner Clinches Gold in Women’s Road Race at 2024 Paris Olympics
In a remarkable display of determination and skill, American cyclist Kristen Faulkner claimed the gold medal in the women’s road race at the 2024 Olympic Games held in Paris. Faulkner’s victory, achieved by breaking away in the final three kilometers, marks a significant milestone as it is the first time an American woman has won this event since Connie Carpenter-Phinney triumphed at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Faulkner, who currently holds the title of the U.S. road race champion, stepped into the Olympic spotlight as a replacement athlete after Taylor Knibb opted to withdraw from the road race in order to concentrate on her time trial and triathlon events. This unexpected opportunity proved to be a turning point for the 31-year-old cyclist.
Throughout the grueling 158-kilometer race, Faulkner executed a strategic move just before the finish line, leaving her competitors unable to respond. Reflecting on her decisive moment, she stated, “I knew I had to attack them as soon as we caught them. I was aware they were sprinters, but I also recognized that they wouldn’t want to collaborate — they represented three different countries. I realized that if I could establish a small gap, they would be forced to race for second place.” She added, “I just counted to 10 about 10 times until I hit the finish line.”
Faulkner’s journey to Olympic glory has been anything but conventional. A graduate of Harvard University and a former rower, she initially discovered her passion for cycling while riding around Central Park in New York City. In 2017, she attended an introductory clinic for women’s cycling, and by 2020, she was competing for Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, North America’s longest-running professional women’s cycling team. In a bold move, Faulkner left her career in venture capital a year later to pursue cycling full-time. Currently, she rides for the American Continental Women’s Team EF Education-Cannondale.
Expressing her disbelief at achieving Olympic success, Faulkner remarked, “This is a dream come true. I’m still looking at that finish line sign wondering how my name got there.”
In addition to her remarkable achievement, Faulkner is one of two Olympians from Alaska competing in Paris. Originally from Homer, a quaint city on the Kenai Peninsula, she shares this distinction with Alev Kelter, a rugby sevens bronze medalist hailing from the Anchorage suburb of Eagle River. Notably, twenty-six athletes at the Paris Games are linked to Harvard, either as current students or alumni, highlighting the institution’s influence on the sporting arena.
