Homer’s Olympic champion goes back-to-back as U.S. National Road Champion
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska’s Kristen Faulkner proved to be the top women’s cyclist in the country once again when she defended her title Monday in the Elite Women’s Road Race at the USA Pro Road Championships in Charleston, South Carolina.
Using a combination of power and strategy, Faulkner made a last-minute move down the stretch to separate herself from a three-way sprint and claim her second consecutive national championship, completing the 79-mile race in 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 41 seconds against the top racers in the country.
The performance puts a golden bow on a monumental calendar year for the Homer cyclist, who started with her first national championship last year.
Faulkner carried that momentum into a historic performance at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, claiming first in both the road race and the track cycling team pursuit event, bringing a pair of gold medals back to her hometown of Homer.
Faulkner will be recognized by the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame on June 5 as the “Pride of Alaska Women’s Award Winner” for her memorable year.
Races and training will continue for the 32-year-old cyclist before the Tour De France Femmes scheduled for July 26 through Aug. 3.
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