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 ladies’s Milan-San Remo on Saturday.
Faulkner mentioned that whereas it has taken about three months to recuperate, her group was supportive throughout that point and 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 believed I used to be good after which I went to group camp and I needed to depart group camp early,” Faulkner mentioned in an EF-Oatly-Cannondale press launch.
“From the group’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 basically necessary.
“I respect that the group mentioned, ‘No strain. Let’s let your physique do what it’s going to do and we’ll put you in racing if you’re wholesome.’ So I didn’t have any stress or strain to get again to racing straight away.”
Faulkner is contracted to race with EF-Oatly-Cannondale via 2026. She had an distinctive season in 2024 the place she gained the elite ladies’s street race title on the USA Biking Nationwide Championships adopted by two gold medals on the Olympic Video games within the street race and group pursuit.
Nevertheless, questions arose when Faulkner had not joined the group within the early races on the calendar and appeared to delay the beginning of her season.
Faulkner advised Cyclingnews through electronic mail that she was initially supposed to begin 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 useful to her objectives for occasions later within the yr.
“It means I’ll have a greater second half of the season. Usually, I’d are available in and have a superb Classics marketing campaign and this yr I’m truly sitting out of the cobbled classics and focusing extra on the Ardennes and the Vuelta,” she mentioned.
“So, Milan-San Remo can be a extremely good likelihood for me to get again within the peloton a bit of bit later than regular.”
