Late bloomer Faulkner toughened up by wild youth in Alaska: "We'd be almost out of food, or we'd run into bears"

Kristen Faulkner pulled off an incredible upset in Paris, winning the gold medal in the road race. Beforehand, women like Lotte Kopecky and Marianne Vos were the top favorites, but the 32-year-old American outsmarted them and crossed the finish line solo. In the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast, Faulkner shared stories about her bizarre childhood in Alaska and how it shaped her as a cyclist.

Faulkner had an unconventional upbringing, spending much of her time in the wild wilderness of the northernmost state of the United States. "Alaska is a rugged place to grow up," she said. "I went on hikes with my family, and other times it was just us kids. Sometimes it was cold and rainy, and you had to sleep in the tent wearing wet clothes. Other times, we'd be almost out of food, or we'd run into bears."

These experiences helped her in all aspects of life. "There were many situations where I felt scared or nervous. I learned to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations, and you learn how to solve problems when it really matters. If you encounter a bear, you have to deal with that problem, or the consequences are huge. After that, a flat tire doesn't seem so bad."

Staying calm is a skill she learned during her time in Alaska. "I did a bike trip through Alaska during the COVID outbreak in 2020. I had to carry bear spray with me all the time because I constantly encountered bears while cycling. I remember once riding into a dead-end area, and suddenly there was a bear behind me. I thought, 'Uh oh, what do I do now?' In theory, mountain biking in Alaska is amazing because of the forests, but there are a lot of bears. On a bike, you move very fast, and sudden, quick movements startle bears."

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Faulkner on Olympic road race: "I only decided to start the day before"

Faulkner only started cycling at age 24, and four years later, she became a professional cyclist. Her progress has been remarkably fast, culminating in her participation in her first Olympic Games in Paris. However, she originally wasn't even supposed to compete in the road race. Only after Taylor Knibb dropped out, focusing entirely on triathlon, did a spot become available. Even then, it wasn’t a done deal, as Faulkner also had commitments on the track.

"I was scheduled to compete in the team pursuit on the track two days after the road race. Even though I had qualified for the road race, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to compete. I was worried I’d be too tired after a big effort. We had a strong chance for a medal on the track, and I was the only one in our four-person team who had never won a medal before. I felt enormous pressure and was very nervous. I kept asking myself, 'Should I do the road race?' I only decided to start the day before."

"I never celebrate before the finish"

It turned out to be the right decision. The American champion managed to close the gap with Vos and Blanka Vas in the final kilometers, with top favorite Kopecky in tow. She surged ahead and claimed gold. However, she didn’t appear to celebrate the victory. "I never celebrate before the finish. I didn’t know what my lead was because there was no communication. I was the slowest of the four, so I knew I had to finish solo. Looking back would only slow me down — I had to stay focused."

Even after crossing the finish line, she didn’t raise her hands in triumph. Instead, she wanted to get on the stationary bike to cool down. "The first thing on my mind was, 'I need to recover because I have an important race in two days.' I had promised the track team that I’d focus immediately on recovery for the Team Pursuit after the road race." Faulkner went on to win gold in the Team Pursuit as well, following a thrilling battle with Australia.

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