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PARIS (Velo) — Kristen Faulkner wasn’t even certified to race the Olympic Video games, however behind-the-scenes wrangling opened the door to begin Sunday to ship America’s first highway racing gold medal in 40 years.
A call weeks in the past to interchange triathlete Taylor Knibb with Faulkner on the two-rider U.S. group put her on the beginning line Sunday and set into movement the dynamics to win the gold medal.
In a spectacular race Sunday, Faulkner marked favorites after which pounced late to solo to America’s first gold medal since Connie Carpenter-Phinney and Alexi Grewal each received gold in highway racing in Los Angeles 1984.
Knibb, who’s racing in combined triathlon late on this Olympic Video games, didn’t race Sunday after giving up her spot to the eventual gold medalist.
“It was a simple choice to make. She’s by no means raced on the highway earlier than, and we talked in regards to the professionals and cons of it,” USA Biking’s head of efficiency Jim Miller informed Velo.
“They’ve a triathlon group relay the day after the highway race, so I talked to their group, and I mentioned if I used to be in your sneakers, I’d in all probability need her to not race this as a result of you may win a medal within the triathlon relay.”
The triathlete punched her ticket for the Paris Olympics after beating Faulkner by 11 seconds within the U.S. nationwide time trial race in Might, which earned her a spot in each the highway race and time trial in Paris.
KRISTEN FAULKNER IS AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/htask3bzU2
— NBC Sports activities Biking (@NBCSCycling) August 4, 2024
Whereas a strong performer on the biking legs in triathlon, Knibb has no expertise racing within the bunch, and everybody determined the most effective factor to do was to permit the extra skilled Faulkner begin the ladies’s race.
Knibb, who crashed 3 times throughout a moist and treacherous time trial race to open the Olympic Video games, opted to not race the highway race.
Everybody agreed, and Knibb supplied up her spot to Faulkner.
The substitute was made even simpler with Faulkner confirming her chops on the highway with some large wins in 2024, to not point out that she was already a part of the ladies’s group pursuit squad on the monitor.
“Taylor agreed, so it was a mutual choice and a simple dialog,” Miller mentioned. “With Kristen, we all know we’ve a really sturdy card to play within the highway race.”
Faulkner, nonetheless, mentioned she wasn’t satisfied that she needed to take the spot on the highway race as a result of she’s additionally a key member of the four-rider group pursuit group in monitor racing this week.
“I virtually didn’t race the highway race, and I needed to ask myself if I’d be able to racing the highway race and be prepared for the group pursuit. We wish to medal, that’s why we’re right here,” Faulkner mentioned.
She mentioned it along with her coaches and determined it was well worth the danger, and he or she even simulated the 72-hour window from the highway race to the group pursuit qualifying throughout her preparation for the Video games.
“I made a decision I’d solely do the highway race if I used to be assured I may medal,” she mentioned. “I even determined if I used to be dropped I’d pull out to organize for group pursuit, and I’d solely proceed within the race if I believed I may medal.”
That call proved proper heading in the right direction, as Faulkner attacked up the primary assault of the Montmartre climb Sunday to experience into the main medal group.
She linked up with the main duo with 4km to go, and didn’t even blink.
Faulkner then attacked whereas the others seemed on, and he or she rode away with gold.
