Faulkner stuns the cycling world with Olympic gold

PARIS: American cyclist Kristen Faulkner caused a major upset on Sunday by winning the women’s road race gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Capitalizing on strategic mind games among the race’s top contenders, Faulkner secured the most significant victory of her career.

The U.S. champion, alongside Belgian competitor Lotte Kopecky, caught up with the leading duo—Dutch legend Marianne Vos and Hungarian talent Blanka Vas—with just 3.4 km remaining. Faulkner then executed a powerful acceleration that left her competitors behind.

Vos, Vas, and Kopecky, hesitant to expend their remaining energy, watched as Faulkner broke away to secure her triumph by the Eiffel Tower. The 31-year-old, in apparent disbelief, did not celebrate as she crossed the finish line.

“It’s a dream come true,” Faulkner said. “I knew Kopecky wanted to catch the front two, so I knew she’d ride with me. And I also knew if we caught them, I had to attack because I could not beat them at the line.”

Marianne Vos won the sprint for silver, while Lotte Kopecky claimed the bronze.(Reuters)