‘I’m fighting every day’ – Kristen Faulkner finishes dead last on Stage 2 of Tour de France Femmes, makes time cut by just 20 seconds

It was a rough day for the reigning Olympic road champion. Kristen Faulkner crossed the line of Stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift with just 20 seconds to spare, the very last rider to do so.

The EF Education-Oatly rider had been tipped as one to watch this Tour, particularly in the early stages. Coming off a career-best season in 2024, where she stormed to a convincing Olympic road race title, Faulkner excels in punchy one-day terrain and aggressive breakaways, exactly the kind of racing featured in the Tour’s opening stages. But her easily recognisable stars-and-stripes jersey, indicating her as the U.S. national champion, was nowhere to be seen near the front today.