ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – One year after dropping out of cycling’s most iconic race midway through, Kristen Faulkner completed a sensational bounce-back on Sunday.
The Olympic gold medalist from Homer finished the 2026 Tour de France Femmes in 26th place, faster than any other American in the race and her best career placing in the nine-day journey through the Swiss and French Alps.
“When I’m 80 years old, I’ll look back on this day and remember your cheers, costumes, homemade signs, high fives, smiles, jerseys, group waves, screams, bottle baskets, flags, custom T-shirts, arm tunnels, and music,” she wrote to her fans and supporters in a post on her Instagram. “Mostly, I’ll remember how you made me feel.”
It comes a year after Faulkner dropped out of the 2025 race after crashing during the second stage and battling illness and fatigue throughout.
This year, the Alaskan rebounded after a 70th-place first stage by not finishing below 48th in any stage the rest of the way, and peaking with a sixth-place split in the hilly stage 6.
She finished 54 minutes and two seconds behind race winner Demi Vollering of the Netherlands, and over 40 places clear of her closest American competition.
“Even when my legs hurt, I wanted to hold onto the moment forever,” she wrote. “I’ll cherish this memory, and your support, for the rest of my life.”
Faulkner made headlines in August 2024 at the Paris Olympics when she emerged victorious in the women’s road race, taking home a stunning gold medal.
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