Homer’s Faulkner defends title as US pro road race champion
Homer’s Kristen Faulkner won the elite women’s race for the second straight year at the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championship in Charleston, West Virginia, on Monday, May 26.
The 70-mile race took place over the course of six laps.
According to USA Cycling, Faulkner stayed in the peloton until about 11 miles left, when she led a chase that caught Emma Langley of Richmond, Virginia, who had broken from the pack.
“Going into the last two laps, I really tried to push the pace on the climbs,” Faulkner said in a statement released by USA Cycling. “With a lap and a half to go, the group was still pretty big, so I decided it was time to play hardball.
“We had to catch Emma, she’s incredibly strong.”
Lauren Stephens of Dallas and Katherine Sarkisov of North Potomac, Maryland, were able to stay with Faulkner when Faulkner caught Langley and immediately attacked.
Although the three got separated on the final big climb up Wertz Avenue, they all bunched on the final descent, setting up a sprint to the finish.
Faulkner won the sprint, while Stephens was second and Sarkisov was third. Faulkner and Stephens were timed at 3 hours, 9 minutes and 43 seconds, while Sarkisov was 2 seconds back.
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“I’ve never won from a sprint before, but I said, if there’s ever a day to do it, we’ve got to make it today,” Faulkner said in a released statement.
At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Faulkner became Alaska’s first two-time gold medalist. She won the road race and the women’s team pursuit.
According to Faulkner’s team, EF Education-Oatly, Faulkner got a late start to this season due to an off-season concussion.