Kristen Faulkner prepared for a better attack to emerge as the winner of the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, making it the first American win in 40 years at the Olympics. Faulkner crossed the finish line at the Trocdéro in just under four hours, covering the 158-kilometer (98-mile) course that began and ended in Paris.
Faulkner ended the race with 58 seconds over Dutch cyclist Marianne Vos, with Vos, Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, and Hungary’s Blanka Vas separated by a photo end. Vos won the silver medal, while Kopecky took the bronze.
Faulkner and Kopecky caught up to Vos and Vas with about 3 kilometers remaining. Faulkner did so well that, despite the efforts of the other three comments, they were unable to close the gap.
Faulkner, who is only 31 years old and from Alaska, is the first American to secure a road race medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where Connie Carpenter and Alexi Grewal went away with gold medals. Faulkner will be provided another chance to defend her title in Los Angeles in 2028.
Faulkner transitioned from investment banking to professional cycling as a former varsity rower at Harvard, previously riding for fun and later balancing her career with full-time work in Silicon Valley.
The game witnessed spectators hailing through Paris’ Latin Quarter and past landmarks like the Orsay Museum. The route to the finish line included challenging climbs, such as the Côte des Gardes and Montmartre.
Afghan sisters Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi briefly led a breakaway before being caught early in the race. Slovakian Nora Jencusova also broke away but was soon brought together by the Hashimis and other riders.
The breakaway was absorbed by the peloton as the race neared Paris. A leading group emerged with Vos, Italian Elisa Longo Borghini, and Faulkner, while Kopecky ran after her from behind and caught up with 40 kilometers remaining. Defending champion Anna Kiesenhofer of Austria emerged as 52nd, almost eight minutes lagging.
Vos and Bas attempted a break but failed to gain a significant advantage with 20 kilometers left, allowing Faulkner to wait for the perfect moment. Her triumph ended America’s long wait for a road race medal.