USA Cycling announced Tuesday, July 9, that Kristen Faulkner, who grew up in Homer, will compete in the Olympic road race on Aug. 4 in the Paris Summer Olympics.
Faulkner, 31, had previously been selected to compete in the Women’s team pursuit, which starts with qualifying Aug. 6.
The women’s team pursuit takes place on the track, though, which is not where Faulkner has had the most success.
At the Pro Road National Championships in mid May in Charleston, West Virginia, Faulkner was first in the road race and second in the time trial. Faulkner also won three Grand Tour stages in the last two seasons.
The second-place finish in the time trial at the Pro Road National Championships almost kept Faulkner off the road at the Paris Olympics.
USA Cycling has two spots in the road events in Paris. Chloe Dygert of Brownsburg, Indiana, qualified to race in the time trial and road race by winning the 2023 UCI Time Trial World Championships.
Taylor Knibb, a professional triathlete out of Washington, D.C., beat Faulkner in the time trial at the national championships to take Olympic time trial and road race spots.
This week, Knibb resigned her spot in the road race in order to focus on her time trial and triathlon events.
USA Cycling selected Faulkner to replace Knibb in the road race.
