Kristen Faulkner has confirmed the beginning of her season was delayed as a consequence of a concussion sustained in a crash whereas coaching final December and that she is now “absolutely recovered” and able to start her season with EF-Oatly-Cannondale on the revived girls’s Milan-San Remo on Saturday.
Faulkner mentioned that whereas it has taken about three months to recuperate, her crew was supportive throughout that point and that there was no strain positioned on her to return to competitors earlier than she was healed.
“I’m lastly feeling higher, which is so good. The restoration course of was very up and down. I assumed I used to be good after which I went to crew camp and I needed to depart crew camp early,” Faulkner mentioned in a crew press launch.
“From the crew’s standpoint, it was higher simply to verify I used to be absolutely recovered and never put a timeline on it, not put strain on me to carry out at any upcoming race. Simply be one hundred pc wholesome and prepared by the point I get again. I felt like I used to be allowed to let my physique heal by itself timeline which is actually essential.
“I recognize that the crew mentioned, ‘No strain. Let’s let your physique do what it’s going to do and we’ll put you in racing whenever you’re wholesome.’ So I didn’t have any stress or strain to get again to racing instantly.”
Faulkner is contracted to race with EF-Oatly-Cannondale by means of 2026. She had an distinctive season in 2024 the place she won the elite women’s road race title on the USA Biking Nationwide Championships adopted by two gold medals at the Olympic Games in the road race and team pursuit.
Nevertheless, questions arose when Faulkner had not joined the crew within the early races on the calendar and appeared to delay the beginning of her season.
Faulkner advised Cyclingnews by way of e-mail that she was initially supposed to start out her season at Trofeo Ponente in Rosa in March however the occasion was then cancelled. EF-Oatly-Cannondale later confirmed her begin at Milan-San Remo.
She mentioned {that a} later begin to the racing season may find yourself being helpful to her objectives for occasions later within the 12 months.
“It means I’ll have a greater second half of the season. Usually, I’d are available and have a very good classics marketing campaign and this 12 months I’m really sitting out of the cobbled classics and focusing extra on the Ardennes and the Vuelta,” she mentioned.
“So, Milan-San Remo might be a very good likelihood for me to get again within the peloton a little bit bit later than regular.”
