This is the second time Bobby and Jens have sat down with Kristen Faulkner - a little over two years ago she spoke to us about her battles to survive in the peloton, how her rivals refused to follow her wheel - as they considered her too risky to follow and how challenging that initial step had been into the sport. Even then it was clear to see Kristen was destined to succeed - she'd already won the QOM at the Giro Donne as well as a stage win, but this summer she's launched herself into a whole new stratosphere of success.

First she secure the US National road title, then in the space of a week she secured two Olympic gold medals - surprising the field with a late attack in the road race and dominating the team pursuit with her teammates. Days later she was at the Tour de France femmes and competing for stage wins.

We caught up with Kristen to share her success and work out what's next for her, what she has planned away from the bike and how she's found life since becoming the first American to win gold in two different disciplines at the same Olympic Games.

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And I can no longer think of the Olympics

as something in the future.

2

Like, if I want to go to the Olympics,

like I have to do it now.

3

Our guest on the odd tandem

today is Kristen Faulkner.

4

We spoke to her back

5

which was only two years

into her professional cycling career.

6

And let's just say she's

made some amazing progressions since then.

7

Jens, what did you think of today's

discussion with Kristen?

8

I'm absolutely blown away

by how hard she works,

9

how smart she is, how focused she is,

and she ended up

10

having the summer of her life this year,

starting with the national championships

11

and then ending up

double Olympic champion.

12

So people

enjoy our chat with our guest today.

13

Hello Kristen Faulkner,

and welcome to the Odd Tandem.

14

Thanks for having me.

It's exciting to be back.

15

I think last time I was on the podcast

was about a year or two ago or sometime.

16

It was July of 2022

and you had just won two stages,

17

as well as the Queen of the mountain

jersey in the, Giro d'Italia, Donne

18

Let's just say a lot has changed

since then.

19

Now you're America's sweetheart.

20

You won two Olympic gold medals

in the road race and the team pursuit.

21

These last few months must have been

crazy.

22

Give us a little idea

of what you've been up to.

23

Yeah, it's super busy.

24

You know, usually you're busy

preparing for the Olympics,

25

and I think I've been busy

since the Olympics,

26

and so it's been a whole nother, a whole

nother journey since the Olympics.

27

You know, an amazing summer.

28

You know, it was,

kind of a whole rollercoaster of emotions,

29

you know, from not being selected

for the team originally

30

and then

31

and going into the road race

and then winning double

32

gold, a team pursuit, and then going

right into the tour de France,

33

it was super busy.

34

And then afterwards,

35

you know, the media and the sponsor events

and the fundraising and all that.

36

So, I don't feel like I've had the chance

to really, like, sit down and relax

37

and decompress, even though my offseason

started a week ago.

38

But it's all good. Busy.

You know, it's all good. Busy.

39

So, I'm just kind of taking it day by day

and enjoying it here.

40

I mean, if being busy so much,

like you just told us before we started

41

recording here that you came from

another interview or little video shoot.

42

Is to actually any time

for training these days, or is it

43

just, you know, media obligations day

in, day out?

44

Yeah, thankfully,

my offseason started on October 1st,

45

and so I have about 3

to 4 weeks off the bike.

46

And, you know, it's normal.

47

Offseason is supposed to be resting.

48

But, I've been doing a lot of media, a lot of traveling, a lot of speaking events.

49

And so it's been busy in that sense.

50

And thankfully,

51

I don't have to worry about training

or performing right

52

now, but, I'm trying to get all the media

out of the way now

53

so that when I do start training again,

I can really focus on it.

54

But it is,

and it's an interesting challenge for me.

55

You know, it's the first time

I've really had to balance,

56

you know, think about balancing my primary

job, which is cycling and performing

57

with a lot of the kind of new obligations

that are coming up, which is the media

58

are writing a book or,

59

you know, doing a documentary

and a lot of things that are happening.

60

And so I think next year will be,

61

a really good challenge,

you know, to know how to balance it.

62

But it's also, I feel really supported

with my team, and I feel like my,

63

my focus, you know, is still on racing

and is still on performing.

64

And so it's good that I have the offseason

to try and do a lot of the media and

65

get it out of the way. Now.

66

Well, just, you know, you look nervous.

67

So, you know, we we have these little,

quickfire questions,

68

you know, to break the ice

because, you know, you're

69

you're not the most polished,

interviewee that we've had.

70

So just to break the ice and make you

a little bit more comfortable.

71

We have a couple questions here for you.

72

So did you get an Olympic tattoo

and an Olympic ring tattoo?

73

No, I haven't,

and I always thought I would.

74

You know, ever since I was a kid,

I was like, if I ever got a tattoo,

75

it would only like, the only tattoo

I would ever get is the Olympic rings.

76

But instead, I'm going to,

I'm getting a necklace.

77

It's going to be a gold ring necklace.

78

And,

I'm going to wear that for a little while.

79

And, and part of the reason is

I couldn't figure out where

80

I would want to tattoo

or what kind of tattoo I would want.

81

And so,

I think it's like the indecision that has

82

that has actually delayed me more

than the lack of desire to get a tattoo.

83

Okay.

84

Favorite cross-training exercise?

85

Running or rowing?

86

Running.

87

I enjoyed rowing,

but it's, I think nowadays

88

I enjoy running a bit more.

89

Okay.

90

Favorite hype song?

91

Don't judge me.

92

I can do it with a Broken Heart

by Taylor Swift.

93

Okay.

94

Okay. And now.

95

Now the nuts and bolts

of this whole thing.

96

Favorite event?

97

The team pursuit or the road race?

98

That's like asking my favorite child.

99

Everyone wants to know that.

100

And I don't know the answer.

101

And I would say the road race, because

it was just, you know, it's my job.

102

It's my full time job.

103

It's what I've done

for a living for the last,

104

you know, however many years, seven

or for whatever you count.

105

And, and and so in that way, it,

I feel like there was more blood, sweat,

106

tears and disappointment

and rebounding and resilience

107

that went into the road

race in that regard.

108

Whereas a team pursuit,

having started a year ago,

109

you know, it's

kind of like a new relationship.

110

It's not something

that's been around for seven years.

111

And so I think for that reason, the road

race is more meaningful to me to win gold.

112

But I think, you know,

they're both very special to me.

113

And just in very different ways.

114

So now that we already talked

about the Olympics after the road race,

115

who did you hug first

after crossing the line

116

and who did you call first

after seeing settle down a little bit

117

and you actually got hold of your phone

and could call somebody?

118

I gave a huge hug to my mom and dad

who were at the finish line.

119

And, you know, I, I've always seen

my dad cry twice in his life.

120

One was, when his dad died in

the second was

121

when I crossed

the finish line in the Olympics.

122

And so that was like a very special hug

123

for me to to have my parents there

and to have them watching.

124

I think my first phone call

actually was my boyfriend

125

because he was in Paris and,

he was on the Montmartre climb,

126

and so he chosen to watch the race there

instead of at the finish line.

127

And so as soon as the

the race finished, you know, I

128

he wasn't there to give me a hug.

129

So I made sure I called him that night

and saw him.

130

So yeah.

131

Watching that on TV, I would have been

right up there on that climb as well.

132

That was

that was an amazing place to watch it.

133

But watch what you just said.

134

Kind of caught me off guard.

135

Because I'm curious about your start

and your preparation.

136

You said you just started

track racing one year before the Olympics.

137

Yeah.

138

My first ever race in team

139

And so I had

I had that's a steep learning curve.

140

Yeah, I have a penchant for steep

learning curves

141

and kind of throwing myself

into the deep end.

142

I don't know.

143

I don't know why,

but I have a penchant for that.

144

Yeah.

145

You know, so I had I had first gotten

146

And it was a, it was a track in San Jose.

147

I was on a mass start bike.

148

I had kind of done

149

and then I had been to a camp with Gary

and the in the track team.

150

I want to say in the fall

151

in Colorado Springs,

and I think that was ten days,

152

and that was the first time I've been on

like an arrow bike on the track.

153

And then in 2023, I went back in November

for another kind of ten day camp.

154

And that really was,

you know, November, December time frame.

155

And that from then until the Olympics,

really, I was on the track

156

and that was less than a year

of real preparation.

157

And so I was still very new in team

pursuit.

158

And actually, that's what made

the Olympics so interesting for me was

159

there were three riders on the team, me,

plus three other riders on the team

160

pursuit squad,

161

and all of the other riders

had earned a medal before at the Olympics.

162

And that's the other three had all medaled

in Tokyo.

163

Two of them

had also won a medal in in Rio.

164

And so I was the newest member on

the team.

165

I'd been racing for less

than a year or two in pursuit.

166

The Olympics was my second

race ever in team pursuit.

167

And so I felt this

tremendous amount of pressure

168

because everyone

I expected the team to get a medal.

169

And I was like, well, look, man,

170

if we don't get a medal,

it's going to be my fault.

171

So I went from the road race

where there was,

172

you know, no one who believed in me

to the team pursuit,

173

where there's

this tremendous amount of pressure.

174

And I felt like the weakest

link on the team.

175

And so it was two very mental,

like very different mental

176

preparations that I had to prepare for.

177

And, and two very different experiences

for me at the Olympics.

178

Where was your starting position then?

179

And number four

and or where do they put you in the team

180

where they sort you would fit in the best?

181

Well, I definitely started in P4.

182

I had actually Gary

told me this a few months later.

183

He said that the first time he met me on

the track, I had the worst start he'd

184

ever seen of any athlete from any country

in his entire 30 years of coaching.

185

He was like,

I did not even time you because, like,

186

it was so slow

that I didn't even need to time it.

187

It was that bad.

188

And and so, you know, here

I was with this incredible engine showing

189

up, but I just couldn't

get off the line, and,

190

and that's just kind of my physiology,

you know, I'm an endurance rider,

191

and I like to do long distances

and I don't have that kind of punch.

192

Or at least I didn't when I started.

193

And so I was definitely P4.

194

I was almost getting dropped on the

every single start as before.

195

And so the biggest challenge for me

was getting off the line.

196

And so basically for the entire eight

months, every single practice,

197

it was like start, start starts, you know,

that was what I was working on.

198

And that's what I needed to improve.

199

And as soon as I got in line, I was great.

200

I was a I was a strong team member,

you know, helped us and got us some speed.

201

But it was just getting me into the line.

202

That was the biggest challenge.

203

And so then eventually I moved into P3.

204

And so I raced the Olympics in P3

and I still struggled a bit with my start.

205

It was still my weak spot.

206

But I never like I could always get on.

207

It was just a matter of

how long would it take me to get in line?

208

Sometimes it took me a quarter lap,

sometimes took me a half lap.

209

Sometimes it took me

almost a full lap to get in line.

210

But I could always bridge that gap.

211

But, yeah, I was it was a big, promotion

for me to move from P4 to P3

212

because it showed that I had improved

from being the worst start he'd ever seen

213

in his entire life to maybe, you know,

214

still still needed to improve on

some things, but at least made a big jump.

215

See, that's

216

amazing to me because I,

I never raced on the track,

217

but the team pursuit is probably

my favorite or one of my favorite

218

events to watch in the Olympics period,

both men and women.

219

So you mentioned the absorbing the start,

220

but what are the other things

for newbie track people like me?

221

I would assume that staying relaxed on

the wheel is pretty important.

222

Your pacing strategy is pretty important,

but more importantly,

223

just the stress of the expectations

of that

224

pursuit team pursuit with,

225

like you said,

some of the much more experienced people.

226

Is there anything that I'm missing there

227

that that you also had to work on

besides your start?

228

Yeah, definitely.

229

My exchanges were also, you know,

and learning how to time your exchanges.

230

Oftentimes I would, come back in line too

quickly or too slow, and then I'd either

231

create a gap or I'd be riding

next to the person before I got in line.

232

And that was something

that wasted a lot of energy.

233

And so my exchanges were also something

I had to work on a lot.

234

I when I started riding track,

I actually had a pretty smooth line

235

because I had done so much time

travel on the road,

236

and so I was really comfortable

in aero position.

237

But one of the challenges for people

when they start team

238

pursuit is making sure

that when they're riding,

239

they're not wobbling forward back, but

they're also not wobbling left or right,

240

because all of those,

you know, subtle movements really impact

241

the person behind you in the draft

that they're able to receive from you.

242

And so you might be an incredibly strong

individual pursuit are really,

243

really strong in line on the front.

244

But the people behind you,

245

you know, you're not giving them

the draft that they need.

246

And so you actually end up

hurting the team more than helping them.

247

Even if you can be

the strongest rider on the front.

248

And so having a smooth line is something

that's definitely really important.

249

Another one

that I think is often overlooked,

250

but probably the most important of all

is making sure that you maintain

251

a consistent pace going from,

you know, P2 to P1.

252

And so kind of the cardinal rule in team

pursuit is that you don't go harder,

253

you just go longer.

254

And so if you're feeling really good

when you get to the front,

255

you don't increase the pace,

you don't decrease the pace.

256

You really have to keep the pace

as consistent as possible.

257

And if you're feeling really good,

you go long

258

and you go longer

maybe than you're expected for.

259

And if you're not feeling so strong,

you just take a shorter pull.

260

And so it's really, really important

261

for us to start out on the right pace,

but also to make sure

262

that when you get to the front,

you don't, you know, surge,

263

you don't accelerate,

you know, decelerate,

264

and then you're able to deliver the person

after you

265

at the same speed

as what you were doing right up.

266

And so that's something

that takes a lot of practice.

267

And it's really hard

268

because, you know, when you're second

wheel, you're in a draft.

269

And so you really have to, you know,

look to your cadence to understand exactly

270

what speed you're going.

271

And that can be really hard

when there's adrenaline,

272

when there's crowds,

when there's, you know,

273

when you're tired,

when your legs are heavy,

274

all those things can really influence

how it feels.

275

So it's it's really important

to know how to feel, you know,

276

the right pace and it takes a long time

to learn how to do that.

277

And, my teammates

gave me a lot of feedback

278

and a lot of different training sessions

to learn how to improve that as well.

279

It takes a long

280

time, but evidently less than a year

for ladies like Kristen.

281

Yeah, right. Right.

282

A lifetime I know, I know, I know,

it is absolutely mind blowing.

283

Actually, from January to Olympic champion

just a few months and yep.

284

So, one thing I was obviously,

285

I mean, was my little tiny experience

when you need to position

286

it is a little harder to control the bike,

right? Yes.

287

When you done with your pull, you go up

high up to basically to the barriers.

288

Right.

289

And it feels like your team

290

underneath

you is like a mile away doesn't it.

291

I mean you almost look that tiny

when you up there.

292

That's how high it feels.

293

You still doing 60. Swing down.

294

And as you said you want to hit

just behind the wheel of P3.

295

Right.

296

You don't want to have

whatever you guys do the inches

297

you don't want to have 20in,

but you don't want to touch wheels, right.

298

That stressed me to no end.

299

Was was that

300

one of the biggest challenges for you,

or was it just all about to start?

301

No, definitely.

302

The exchanges were really challenging

knowing how to time them.

303

And I think at first I was

I had really slow exchanges

304

because I would,

you know, I would swing up

305

and then I would see them down below

me and I'd be like, oh, I need to wait.

306

I need to wait.

307

And then I'd kind of come back down

so I'd hesitate at the top.

308

And the thing is, they're going so fast.

309

If you hesitate at all,

you're going to miss them.

310

You're going to, you know,

you're going to get dropped off the back.

311

And so I was really learning how to just

like go up, go down, go up, go down.

312

You know, there was no hesitation.

313

There was no limit at the top.

314

Or you could

315

you know, it's not like road racing

where you can take in the views,

316

enjoy the scenery for a minute,

317

you know, like you are up

and you are straight down.

318

And then I think the other thing,

that, you know, and so for me, learning

319

how to do that, but also learning

how to do that at very different speeds,

320

because your speed of the exchange

is directly correlated

321

to the speed of the effort.

322

And so in training,

323

the exchange is probably going to be a lot

slower than the exchange in a race.

324

And so,

325

you know, you might train something

and training and be like, okay,

326

I've no like changes.

327

And then you get into a race

and you're like, oh crap.

328

Like there

they go. There are way speeding by me.

329

And so it's learning how to time it

with very different sensations,

330

entirely based on the speed of that day.

331

The second

thing that I think was really scary for me

332

is as I was diving down,

333

you know, you're

334

you're going at such a high speed

and aero position and it's terrifying

335

because you're going

into the back of their bike

336

and you're like, I'm going to hit it,

I'm going to hit it, I'm going to hit it.

337

And then, you know,

they they're also going fast by you.

338

And so you really have to trust

339

the speed of your bike,

the speed that they're going.

340

And really get a sense for, you know,

you're coming at them with a lot of speed.

341

And in theory, like you would crash

into the back of them,

342

but because you're not pedaling so hard

and they are going really hard

343

out of the bend, you know, you kind of

are decelerating as they're going by.

344

And so it's, it's kind of this

like mind boggling experience where,

345

you know, you you just really have to get

used to it over time.

346

And, anyway,

to answer your question, it's very scary

347

the first few times you do it and usually

you're you're quite conservative.

348

The first few times, you know, you

349

you tend to have slower exchanges

because it's better to be slow

350

than to crash into the person

in front of you.

351

And so you, you know,

you do it a little slow,

352

and then each time

you get a little better,

353

a little faster,

a little closer to their wheel,

354

and eventually the goal is to just,

355

you know, dive

right into the back of their wheel

356

and come in at the exact

same speed at which they're riding.

357

But these two

358

disciplines that you won a gold medal

359

in are so different.

360

I, you know, when when I was

361

watching the Pre-Olympic stuff

and they announced that both

362

you and Chloe were going to do the road

race, I was I was a little bit nervous.

363

I'm like,

how can you do an Olympic road race?

364

And then a couple days

later, jump on the track and then go

365

for an Olympic medal, a gold medal,

a world record, all those things.

366

But the biggest thing for you,

the question I had for you

367

after you win the Olympic road race,

you should be drinking

368

champagne, hanging out with Snoop Dogg,

just absolutely living it up.

369

You got a gold medal around your neck.

370

But no, you had to, like,

keep that even keel

371

and then had, what, just two days later

372

or a day later, back onto the track.

373

What, mentally,

what was that like being at the

374

the zenith of the sport

and then having to be like, wait a second,

375

I have to do this team pursuit

now I have a gold medal.

376

They want a gold medal.

377

I better not let them down like I.

378

I still can't get my head wrapped around

what it takes to to deal with that.

379

Yeah, it was one of the hardest

psychological challenges of my life,

380

to be honest,

381

because all I wanted to do, you know,

I just achieved my biggest life dream.

382

And and here I wasn't,

I couldn't even celebrate it.

383

And my family and friends were all there.

384

My cousins, my aunts and uncles, they'd

all come to watch this race and I didn't.

385

I didn't even want to see them

because I was like,

386

if I see you, I'm going to get excited.

387

I'm going to get the adrenaline.

I'm going to celebrate.

388

And so I really I just had to say, like,

I don't want to see anyone

389

until after the team pursuit

and then we can celebrate.

390

But after,

you know, until the team pursuit,

391

I really need to kind of like,

stay in my moment, stay in my zone.

392

And it's actually funny.

393

You know, when I crossed the finish line,

everyone was like,

394

did you know you'd won?

395

Like, you just kept riding and,

I'm dead honest.

396

Like like that. Honestly.

397

Like, the first thing when I crossed

the line was like, I need to spin.

398

I have a race in two days,

and that's why I kept riding.

399

I was like, I need to spin my legs.

400

I need to spin the legs.

401

Like, I can't just stop after the hardest

four minute effort of my life

402

and and really like that was

that was the mentality I had to have.

403

And it was

404

it was so hard because all I wanted to do

was jump off my bike and celebrate it

405

and and raise it above my head, you know,

just like Remco had done the day before.

406

But unlike Remco, I had to recover

as quickly as possible because I also knew

407

that the road race could potentially

negatively impact team pursuit.

408

And I didn't want to be the reason why

we didn't earn a medal in team pursuit.

409

And I felt actually more pressure

to perform

410

in team pursuit after the road race,

because I felt like if I didn't perform

411

or if I did anything wrong,

412

I and the rest of the world

to blame it on the road race.

413

And so I was like,

414

I had to go extra, extra, extra

to make sure that I was 100% recovered

415

because I couldn't let the road race be

the reason we failed in pursuit.

416

And, you know, if I hadn't done the road

race and we failed in team pursuit,

417

I could, you know,

blame it on a lot of other things.

418

Maybe poor preparation or maybe, you know,

I hadn't been in the sport long enough

419

or whatever it was.

420

But after the road race, it almost.

421

I decided to do the road race.

422

I was like, okay, well,

if anything goes wrong in team

423

pursuit, like,

I can't let this be the reason why.

424

And so, you know,

425

as soon as I crossed the finish line,

it was like on to the next thing.

426

And it was so hard.

427

I wanted so badly to celebrate.

428

I wanted so badly to pop some champagne

429

and to stay up late and take some photos

of, you know, the Eiffel Tower.

430

But I knew that, yeah,

I still had teammates who needed me

431

and, yeah,

I just couldn't let them down. So

432

you. Yeah.

433

Really

respect all to have that presence of mind.

434

Like winning

the biggest race ever in your career.

435

And you go, yeah, but I cannot celebrate.

436

I need to spin now and but but,

437

now, you mentioned, the word pressure

438

at least 3 or 4 times now at the pressure

of not letting your teammates down,

439

was it terrifying, crucifying,

440

or was it like a positive pressure,

like, okay, I'm going to keep track.

441

I'm gonna do this.

We're going to make this.

442

And who do you talk to about that?

443

I mean, you must have been terrified

by the ID that day.

444

Become for us and blame it all on you.

445

Did you had anybody to talk to to, like,

hey, I'm a little afraid of this,

446

or you just eat it all up inside of you

and just hide it inside of you?

447

I love the phrase

eat it all up inside of me.

448

Okay.

449

Yeah.

450

Unpacking that,

451

the team pursuit was one of the highest

pressure moments of my life.

452

Like, hands down.

453

And and the reason and the reason,

honestly, is, not only was

454

I scared about

455

the potential implications of the road

race,

456

I was scared because I was

the newest member on the team.

457

I was scared because I'd only done it

for less than a year.

458

This was my second race.

459

But even more than that, it was that

my start was the slowest part of the race

460

for me.

461

And so, like standing on the start

line of that race, knowing that if I like

462

the the likeliest place for me to mess up

is at the very beginning.

463

And if I don't get off the line in P3,

there's someone behind me

464

and the entire race is destroyed because

we have to finish with three people.

465

And so if had been P4

and I got dropped at the start, okay,

466

you know, it's unfortunate.

467

They probably wouldn't earn a medal,

but at least they would finish.

468

But if I did anything wrong at the start,

the very, very, very beginning

469

of the race, I wouldn't even have a chance

to show anything that I've done,

470

and I wouldn't

be able to help the team at all.

471

And and so is

a tremendous amount of pressure.

472

And then I guess in the final round

as well,

473

I did more laps than anyone in the first,

half of the race.

474

So everyone started out with one

and a half laps each.

475

I did two laps, which is our plan.

476

But we went out way too fast.

477

Like we went out way faster than plan,

way faster than we'd ever ridden before.

478

And then here I was having to do two laps.

479

And so by the time the second

half of the race came around, I was like,

480

I have like, I am so like asked, like,

I, I don't know what's.

481

And then

the gas started to open up in front of me,

482

and that was probably the highest pressure

moment in my entire athletic career.

483

When I started to open up in front of me,

484

we were 30s from the finish line,

maybe 15 seconds from the finish line.

485

We were ahead and we were on our way

to a gold medal and I was like,

486

If I'm the reason that this gap opens up

and we get dropped, like,

487

I cannot handle that.

488

And and my body was at its physical limit

mentally.

489

Like the only thing I could think about

was like,

490

go forward, go forward, like change that.

491

We'll chase that. Well,

you got 15 seconds of pain.

492

You got 15 seconds.

493

Like, this is the moment

494

that your life comes down to, like,

you have to make it to that line.

495

And so I think, you know, in the road

race,

496

like you have these high pressure moments,

but they're not as they're

497

they're not as concentrated as they are

in team pursuit, like and

498

and in a road race, you know,

you have like a few seconds for an attack.

499

But in the team pursuit, like a 10th

of a second of being distracted.

500

And the entire race is over,

not just for you,

501

but for your entire team.

502

And so I would yeah, for sure,

the final round of team pursuit.

503

But like the

the very first round, the qualifying round

504

I think was really nervous for me

because I didn't know how I would do

505

because it was my second race

ever with the team.

506

But then the final round

was really nervous

507

because, you know,

this is what it was all coming down to.

508

And I started to have a gap in front of me

in the, in the final.

509

And that was really, really scary.

510

So time frame just to, just to be clear.

511

So you finished the road race,

how many days did you have

512

until you did the qualification

for the team pursuit?

513

It was about 48 hours.

514

Yeah. So two days then.

515

Then you win the Olympic team pursuit.

516

Double Olympic champion.

517

And how many days did

you have to get to the start

518

of the tour de France Femmes?

519

Well let's see.

520

So we've actually I was we finished

the team, we finished the team pursuit.

521

The next day I had a day of media

until after midnight.

522

So it was a jam

packed day from like 8 a.m.

523

until after midnight.

524

And then I think I had another day

525

where I went to Champion's Park and did

kind of my celebration on the runway

526

and saw my family for the first time.

527

And then the next day I traveled to

528

tour de France.

529

So I had like less than a day to really

530

take it all in and and be at the Olympics.

531

So my, my, my question about that,

532

so that you get that timeline straight is

533

this just doesn't happen overnight.

534

You know, there's a lot of planning that

you and your coach had to think about.

535

So you need the endurance and explosivity

536

and then, you know, hours

upon hours of specific training.

537

But to prepare for a road

race, team pursuit.

538

And then the biggest stage

race of the year,

539

was there anything that you and your coach

had to just say?

540

Hey, listen, we can't really focus on that

because we're focusing on

541

these other things.

542

Was there something in your repertoire,

in your arsenal

543

that you and your coach

decided, like, hey, we can't really,

544

be Uber specific

and prepare for that scenario?

545

Yeah, definitely.

546

The tour de France was deprioritised,

and the reason

547

is that the Olympics come around

every four years, and I knew that

548

it was a really big priority for me

and for the team and for team USA,

549

and so for the tour de France,

like I wasn't doing any climbing

550

leading into the tour de France.

551

I wasn't doing any,

you know, day after day kind of fatigue

552

resistance to figure out

how I would manage the fatigue, the tour,

553

it was really focused primarily

on, like my number one priority

554

was the team pursuit.

My number two priority was the road race.

555

My number three

priority was the tour de France Femmes.

556

And that's just kind of how it had to be.

557

And I think, you know, next year

it would be great to go in

558

and try to win a stage at the tour

de France or, you know, try to do,

559

you know, two stages and,

and do you do a little better?

560

But this year, like, you know, as humans,

we have our limits.

561

And my limit was going to be hit

before the tour de France.

562

And we knew that going in.

563

And we also knew that trying

to change that and doing a lot of daily

564

day after day fatigue resistance

and climbing like that was just going

565

to detract from team pursuit.

566

And if I tried to do all three

well, I'd end up doing nothing.

567

Well.

568

And so we ended up

prioritising the Olympics and

569

and the tour de France was great to go to.

I mean, we had a lot of fun.

570

We got unfortunately, we got a lot of

fourth places actually, as a team.

571

But actually I think we did quite well

and I think I did quite well,

572

considering that I just come from

a huge kind of emotional experience.

573

I also found out I had Covid during

the tour de France, which was unfortunate.

574

So, it was like, you know,

I had the Olympic kind of a

575

and going in

and then got Covid, kind of early on.

576

I think on the second day or so, I didn't

realise until I test it afterwards.

577

So I think we kind of like

578

looked at the tour de France

Femmes this year and we were like, okay,

579

kind of like participation award,

but like, we'll, we'll,

580

we'll try to go for some stages next year.

581

So the way you

582

make it sound like

it is almost like the tour de France

583

is mostly all, almost all the time,

the hardest race in the world.

584

You went there almost on a holiday

on holiday to relax, right?

585

After all, just media hype,

586

like a surprise gold medal

then under pressure and not a gold medal.

587

So you almost went to Tour de France...

588

ok I get a massage every day, ride my bike

589

and nobody can, you know, can talk to me

because I'm on my bike for hours.

590

So I cannot give interviews for certain

amount of time because I'm on the bike.

591

Wasn't almost like not a holiday,

but like a more relaxed moment actually.

592

Then. Then like a bike race.

593

Like a moment for you to let it sink

in that you are a double Olympic champion.

594

I mean, yes and no.

595

I think the, the, the kind of the funny

truth, though, is that I got better

596

and better the first few days of the tour

597

because I showed up with so much fatigue

from, from the Olympics and from the media

598

and from the travel and everything,

that I actually was less fatigued

599

every single day for the first

like 4 or 5 days of the tour de France.

600

And I don't really know how that happens.

601

I mean, like show up to the tour de

France fans

602

and you're less fatigued every single day.

603

Like I got more and more energy

604

and not just relative to everyone else,

but like relative to myself too.

605

So that was like a very real thing

that did happen.

606

I think in terms of holiday, you know,

607

like I had a ton of cameras on me

at the tour de France.

608

I had a ton of people at the bus

asking for autographs.

609

I had, you know, interviews

every single day before the race.

610

And so I think it was kind of this like,

you know, layer cake.

611

They just kept stacking

on, stacking on, you know, media and, and,

612

you know, some degree of stress

and busyness to my schedule.

613

And I think it wasn't

until after the tour de France

614

where I was really able to kind of like

take a break and,

615

and starfish on my bed and relax and like,

take in what I've done.

616

But I think, yeah, the tour de France,

I did

617

feel a bit more rested every day

in the beginning, and probably until

618

I got Covid and, and then things

were a little more fatiguing from there.

619

Yeah.

620

You were definitely, high up on GC

heading into the to the mountains there.

621

But I remember, on our old podcast,

622

you said that there was a certain team

that had a rule

623

not to follow Kristen Faulkner's

wheel, like they weren't allowed to do it.

624

It was like a rule. Right? Okay.

625

That was my very

that was my very first race in Europe.

626

So it wasn't like this ongoing thing.

627

And that's but how

how cool is that to go from somebody

628

saying that when they threw you

into the deep end of the pool, for sure,

629

and you didn't have your skill set

that you have now to Blanca Vas in stage

630

five of the tour de France Femmes,

when you kind of did your little attack,

631

she remembered from the Olympics

when she let you go.

632

I can't let Kristen's wheel go.

633

So I mean, what what an amazing

two years going from.

634

Hey, better not follow this girl to now

she is the wheel to follow that.

635

That's got to feel pretty awesome.

636

Yeah. For four years it was.

637

It was the fall of 2020

638

and my first race in Europe when I

when someone said, don't follow my wheel.

639

I think by 2022

things had gotten better by then.

640

But yeah, I mean, it's definitely been,

641

a long, a long way that I've gone.

642

And I think, you know, it was,

it was definitely hard in the beginning.

643

You know, I think when I came to Europe,

I was I was scared of the peloton.

644

I, I didn't like crash a few times

and had to get back up.

645

And I had a lot of skills.

I got dropped on every single descent.

646

And, you know, it was yo

yoing off the back on any course

647

that had a lot of roundabouts

because I was,

648

you know, entering the roundabout last

and kind of yo yoing off every time.

649

So I think for me,

you know, it's interesting when,

650

when I look at my gold medals,

I think a lot of people see like, oh,

651

she won a gold medal at the Olympics

and she achieved this big thing.

652

And I think that's what the media

latched on to as well as like, you know,

653

the kind of the grandiosity

of like winning an Olympic gold medal.

654

But for me,

like when I look at those medals, like,

655

I like, the biggest thing I think about

is like, wow, I've come so far.

656

Like, I came so far.

657

There are so many people

who doubted me along the way.

658

So many people who didn't believe me.

659

I had lost my job and sacrificed so much

when at a time when people had no idea

660

what I was doing, you know,

I left a six figure job to go make $7,000

661

a year stipend and move across the world

to a town

662

where I didn't know anybody and didn't

speak the Catalan language.

663

And I.

664

And so I think when I look at my gold

medals, it's like, I'm

665

so proud of the journey and the resilience

and everything that went into them,

666

and much more than the accomplishment

of not like winning this big race.

667

And so I think, yeah,

668

I think like the ten year

old version of me would be really proud.

669

But even like the 28 year

old version, who was crashing

670

and not knowing what she was doing

when she showed up in Europe.

671

So, you

know, from even from the last time we had

672

you on the podcast,

you improved as so much.

673

Where do you think you improved the most?

674

Descending tactics? endurance?

675

punch? power? cleverness?

676

your sprinting? your climbing?

677

And a follow up question

where do you think is your limit?

678

Where do you go from now?

679

Yeah, I think my bike handling improved.

680

My descending improved, for sure.

681

I think the biggest thing,

though, is just my race instinct.

682

You know, I,

I think when I started out racing, I would

683

look at the course and think like,

where is a good place to attack, you know?

684

And now it's like

you can't pick the place to attack.

685

Like you have to just look around

and like, who's distracted?

686

Who's tired?

687

Are you surrounded by sprinters

or climbers?

688

Who's going to chase, you know, like

689

you have to attack in a place

that makes sense

690

based on the group around you

and how fatigued they are,

691

how distracted they are,

whether they have teammates,

692

they're what the weather is,

what the wind is.

693

And so all of that plays a role.

694

And also, I think at the Olympics

it was the same thing.

695

Like there were four riders,

there were three medals.

696

I knew one of us

wasn't going to get a medal.

697

And so I was like,

how do I play to make sure

698

I'm not the one that doesn't get a medal?

699

And so I think everything that went

into that day, into that strategy

700

really came down to race strategy

and race instinct.

701

And I think that's something I didn't have

a lot of when I first moved to Europe.

702

And it was just through like

really studying races and being in them.

703

And kind of having this growth mindset

704

that I think I was able to learn that.

705

And I don't think it's a coincidence

706

that I won a race

where there were no race radios.

707

You know, I think for me, like

when I came to Europe,

708

I relied a lot on radios

for for race tactics.

709

And I think I actually excel

way more in races without race radios

710

because I do enjoy the strategy element

of racing, and I think I'm at an advantage

711

compared to everyone else

when there aren't race radios,

712

because the strategy, something I love,

it's something I, you know, I like.

713

That's my favorite part of racing.

714

And so I think when I was able

to kind of execute my strategy and not

715

feel any kind of self-doubt or someone

in my ear telling me what to do, like

716

I was really calm

and felt really confident with it.

717

And I think that

really helped me on race day.

718

But I've

been following you on on social media

719

and you have been all over the place

doing some really cool things.

720

I mean, two Olympic gold medals

do open some doors,

721

and you do get to meet some really cool

people and have some great experiences.

722

What what has been

your favorite experience from this

723

whirlwind of media and appearances that

724

that you've made as of late?

725

Best experience?

726

I well, actually I got invited to New York

727

Fashion Week, which would have been

like a total detour for me.

728

I couldn't go to that,

but that was kind of exciting.

729

I think, you know, it's it's not actually

730

the big publicity and and celebrity

things that I've been able to do.

731

I think the most meaningful

things are to me are like getting

732

an Instagram message from someone that's

like, oh, my daughter went on a bike today

733

because she watched you race,

and now she wants to be a cyclist

734

or someone who reaches out to me

and they say,

735

you know,

I haven't touched my bike in 15 years.

736

And I went out

and I went on it right today.

737

Or it is, you know, sponsors coming

and saying, like, we want to support you

738

and and me saying like, okay, well,

we need more quality in the sport.

739

So what are you going to do for that?

740

You know, and I think it's like it's it's

those things that I think are much more

741

meaningful to me

742

than some of the kind of like fame

and media that I've had access to.

743

See. I thought

744

I was giving you an underhand, slow pitch,

knock it out of the park, home run,

745

because that

746

when when President Biden took your phone

and you

747

and he did a selfie of you

and all the other Olympic and Paralympic

748

athletes behind,

I thought that was going to be it.

749

So I whiffed on that one. Okay.

You were right.

750

That like, that might be it. Yeah.

751

I think having the president

use my phone for a selfie, that's

752

probably that was probably the high point

afterwards.

753

That was really fun.

754

That was a really cool great photo. Yeah.

755

Good photo actually.

Yeah. There's another one.

756

Someone got like the view of him

taking a selfie,

757

which I think is a cooler photo than what

some of mine is.

758

But, yeah, that was that was really fun.

759

So after double Olympic

760

champion and all these media, interviews

and video shoots.

761

You did.

762

How is it now walking through an airport,

you get recognised more often.

763

Has this changed

and has it changed to an extent?

764

We go, oh my God,

I feel like everybody knows me.

765

Or you go, oh, it's actually encouraging.

766

It's nice that every now and then somebody

says, hey, you are the Olympic champion

767

or is it too much already for you?

768

It's a mix.

769

You know, I think I,

I think it also depends where I am.

770

I think the parts that are really,

that are, like, really due to me.

771

Like, I went to Colorado.

772

I was in Breckenridge

after the tour de France,

773

and I was at a diner

just eating breakfast, you know,

774

and someone came up to me and

they were like are you Kristen Faulkner.

775

And I was like, yeah. And they're like,

can I get my photo with you?

776

And I was like, sure.

777

And, you know,

I wasn't wearing any kind of gear

778

or anything,

and they just recognised my face.

779

And so that was really foreign to me

and really new,

780

because maybe in Belgium

I would have expected something like that.

781

But in, you know, Breckenridge, Colorado,

where I've had never even been before,

782

I think that was a

bit of a shock to my system.

783

And so I've had a

few experiences like that that, I'm like,

784

well, I have to make sure I'm

not like picking a wedgie in public,

785

you know, like people are watching,

you know, it's like me,

786

you know, like, and

and so I think, that kind of.

787

Yeah.

788

Exposure and recognition is, is new to me,

I think, what

789

I'm a little, like, nervous about

maybe is going back to Girona and, like,

790

trying to go train and having people

come up and take photos of me

791

and want to ride with me

792

because I think, you know, it's exciting

to see other cyclists, but I also like

793

if I'm in the middle of an interview,

like I can't stop and say hi to fans.

794

And so it's kind of figuring out

how that will look, you know,

795

with my training and,

796

and making sure

797

that I'm making time for fans, but also

that I'm able to get on what I need to do.

798

And then I think sometimes,

like the media before races, you know,

799

fans always come over

and they want autographs,

800

they want me to take pictures with them,

and I really want to do that.

801

But I also can't do it

too much before race,

802

because that can be pretty exhausting.

803

And so I think what's interesting for me

now is just figuring out

804

kind of with my team,

like how to balance all of that,

805

because first of all, I am a racer and

I need to go perform and I need to train.

806

But also, yeah, I really enjoy the fans

and they're a fun part of the experience,

807

and I want them to feel like

they're part of the journey too.

808

So I think it's just learning

how to balance that.

809

And that's something

I'm still figuring out right now.

810

Well, that's

a great segue into my next question,

811

because in the past you said that

you use cycling as an outlet for work,

812

but now that you're this cycling

superstar, what are you going to use

813

as an outlet from cycling

during your remaining

814

couple of weeks of the offseason?

815

And then, you know,

during during your off time, when you're

816

when you're back racing,

what how do you get away from it all?

817

Yeah, I've been keeping busy.

818

I it's actually it's funny,

819

I'm kind of getting back into the VC world

a little bit.

820

I'm, I'm giving a few speeches

to, kind of VC company off sites.

821

I'm giving a Ted talk.

822

At the end of the month,

I'm doing a fireside chat at Aubrey's,

823

which is the biggest conference

of women VCs.

824

And so it's been fun experience for me,

kind of

825

getting back into the business world

a little bit.

826

I, you know, it's like,

827

it's funny,

I'm getting speaking opportunities

828

that I wouldn't have had

if I just stayed in VC.

829

So it's like, I get like advocating

for kind of a non-linear path,

830

to kind of leapfrog some, some,

some opportunities in my life.

831

So that's been really fun

is, you know, this morning

832

I spoke to the Naval Academy

and to a group of students there.

833

And so it's I've had some

yeah, really fun speaking opportunities.

834

And that's been something I've enjoyed.

835

I'm also writing a book,

836

which I think has been

837

the most therapeutic

838

thing for me to do, and kind of reflecting

on my entire journey

839

from basically growing up in Alaska,

going to Harvard, working in VC,

840

you know, how did I make my decision

to leave for cycling?

841

What were the first few years really like?

842

What was my Olympic journey like,

and what actually happened?

843

Like,

what was I thinking about during the race?

844

And these are all questions

that people have asked me over and over.

845

And I think it's really exciting

to be able to put it into a book and share

846

my journey, but also share some things

that I think people can really relate to,

847

because I imagine

there's a lot of people out there

848

who maybe have a passion

that they want to pursue,

849

but they don't know how and they don't

know how to start it. They don't.

850

Or maybe they're scared of starting it

late in life.

851

Or maybe they're trying

to balance two things.

852

Or maybe they are a beginner at something

all over again,

853

and they don't know how to excel

as a beginner, you know?

854

And so I think these are things

that hopefully people can learn something

855

from my journey.

856

And I'm excited to share them, share

that with them.

857

So writing my book

I think has been therapeutic for me,

858

and I hope people enjoy reading it,

although I don't know

859

if it'll be published next year

860

We'll see. But, it is in the works.

861

So it looks like.

862

And it sounds like you're still super

busy.

863

Was flying here, flying there

having a speech,

864

meeting new people.

865

You ever nervous or afraid that you lose

866

focus on your job, on cycling

867

and you miss start training again

because, I do one more interview.

868

I do one more trip over there

because, well, I mean, it's paid probably.

869

Well.

870

And second, you only, maybe only once,

Olympic champion.

871

So you want to use that

as much as you can?

872

Of course. Totally logic and normal.

873

But you sometimes feel there could be a

conflict was

874

actually I should now start saying no

to this thing.

875

Settle down,

876

stay with my boyfriend and, you know,

start training, preparing next season.

877

And you think there could be a conflict

or you have somebody partnering up

878

with you telling you, hey, do this, don't

do this, don't do this, don't do this.

879

Yeah, definitely.

880

I think right now

I'm quite busy traveling around.

881

But come November and well,

I guess come December I'm

882

definitely going to not be taking in

a lot more travel at all.

883

So I think October, November,

884

you know, I'm off the bike in October

so I can do some of this stuff.

885

And then in November it's kind of a mix.

886

I have team camp in Girona.

I'm doing a few speaking gigs.

887

But then once December comes, you know,

I'm, I'm fully focused on next season,

888

and I've actually turned down

a lot of opportunities that are next

889

spring, just because I need to make sure

that I'm showing up to the season fresh.

890

So I don't know, like it's interesting,

I probably won't have as relaxing

891

of an off season, but at the same time,

it's very fulfilling and exciting for me

892

to do something different and it's

refreshing for me in a lot of ways too.

893

So, yeah,

I mean, and I also like writing my book,

894

like that's

something that is actually quite relaxing.

895

Like, I don't feel stressed about it

at all. There's no deadlines.

896

I don't have,

you know, a publishing company yet

897

that I've, you know, that has expectations

for me to do anything. So,

898

but yeah, to answer your question,

899

it's definitely something

that's on my mind.

900

It's not something that I've just kind of,

you know, worn off or ignored.

901

I think for me,

I really want to continue the success.

902

I think I'm still early in my career.

903

I have, you know,

904

So I have several more years

905

of my professional career ahead of me,

and I'm not by any means done.

906

I have way more ambitious goals,

you know, than I've had before.

907

And so my priority is really saying

my priority priorities, my team.

908

And that's definitely going to be true

for the next four years

909

and definitely true

in a few months from now.

910

And so I think part of me

is trying to get out

911

as much media and business

and things as I can in the next few months

912

so that I can prioritise cycling,

starting in the new year.

913

You without

914

ruining

your this this chapter in your book.

915

You you mentioned the Olympic dream.

916

I think we all had an Olympic dream.

917

It started and for me it was.

918

I wanted to be in the Olympics

for ski racing.

919

Can you give us a little input

to what your

920

original thought or Olympic dream

was without ruining

921

anything that you're going to have

in your New York Times bestselling book?

922

Yeah.

923

You know, it's interesting,

like it took it took a lot of different

924

forms during my life.

925

When I was younger

and first saw the Olympics on TV,

926

I think I was eight years old,

like maybe 12.

927

You know, one of those,

I think it was maybe the Sydney Olympics

928

and I watched it on TV and I was like,

wow, like, these athletes are amazing.

929

And I had just started swimming.

930

Like I was really young.

931

I think I had just competed on my first

for me.

932

And so athletics

was very forefront of my mind.

933

And I watched these swimmers on TV

and I was like, I think Michael Phelps.

934

It was his first Olympic debut.

I think he was like 15.

935

And then I thought, wow, like,

I want to do that one day.

936

Like I want to be an Olympian.

937

And I was so young, I didn't

I didn't realise that the Olympics

938

were like a big deal

to the rest of the world.

939

I just I saw it on TV and I was like,

I want to do that one day.

940

And so I started from a really young age,

kind of just like this,

941

you know, like in the back of my mind,

just this idea.

942

And then as I got older and older,

you know, and try different sports,

943

I think for me, the pinnacle of

944

excellence in sports was the Olympics.

945

And so as a rower, I thought about going

to the Olympics for rowing.

946

And I always thought like,

if I were to do this in ten years,

947

like I want to go to the Olympics,

948

if I were doing this in ten years,

I want to go the Olympics. And,

949

and so the rower in high school,

I thought about it.

950

And as a writer in college,

I even thought about it.

951

But then, you know,

it's never a priority of mine.

952

And, and when I moved to New York City

after college,

953

I started my career, and I think my career

and life just kind of got in the way.

954

And, it was my priority at that point in

my life was to start my career

955

and when I started cycling,

I also wasn't thinking about

956

going to the Olympics because,

957

I mean, I was doing cycling for fun,

you know, I was just like

958

it was a hobby on the side,

and I was really competitive about it.

959

But, you know,

you don't think about go to the Olympics

960

were a sport that you just started a year

before.

961

You know,

962

when I started cycling, I was

963

originally thinking of cross training

because I wanted to go to the Olympics

964

for rowing, you know,

and that's kind of what it was.

965

But then when I moved to California,

966

I started going on these long century

rides.

967

I started getting a bit more competitive.

968

And I think when I joined

my first domestic pro team,

969

that's when I was like,

wow, this is kind of my sport now.

970

And that was also at a point where

971

I had been working in VC for

maybe two and a half years,

972

and I realised, I think it was

when I was living in California,

973

maybe I was 26 or 27.

974

And I realised that this Olympic dream

I had as a kid, like it was still there

975

and it was very alive, and it

and it had never gone away like I'd always

976

and I had always had like off and doing

the sport in ten years, I want to go away.

977

And here I was at 26 and I was like, well,

if I'm doing the sport in ten years,

978

like I'm

probably too old to go to the Olympics.

979

And I was like the first time

980

where I realised, like, life is short

and now I'm getting a little older

981

and I can no longer think of the Olympics

as something in the future.

982

Like, if I want to go to the Olympics,

like I have to do it now,

983

like there is no like ten years from now.

984

And I think it was kind

of this revelation for me

985

that, but the, the window

986

for certain dreams in my life was closing

because I think when you're young,

987

you kind of think you have forever

988

and you always think a dream

to something else in the future.

989

And here I was at 26 and I was like, wow.

990

Like there's dreams that I can't wait.

991

And for the future anymore.

992

Like, now, it's now or never.

993

And so that's when I was like,

wow, if I want to go to the Olympics

994

and I have this childhood dream, like,

I don't I don't have the choice to wait.

995

Like, I have to quit my job and I have to

go, and I have to do it now.

996

Like, not tomorrow, not a month from now.

997

Like I have to do it now.

998

And so that's when I decided

to go to Europe for my first races.

999

I took a month off work.

00:47:28,428 --> 00:47:31,473

I worked part time and remotely,

and it was Covid,

00:47:31,473 --> 00:47:34,351

so it was a little more acceptable.

Went to Europe. I want to stage it.

00:47:34,351 --> 00:47:38,230

My first race came back and I said, okay,

I kind of have

00:47:38,438 --> 00:47:42,150

maybe what it takes to have a 10% chance

of making it to the Olympics.

00:47:42,693 --> 00:47:45,320

And that's when I really got

really serious about cycling.

00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:47,114

And I said, I want to go to pro,

I want to move to Europe.

00:47:47,114 --> 00:47:50,117

I'm going to do everything that I can

to try and make the Olympic team.

00:47:50,325 --> 00:47:54,580

And, and for me, like, I still knew that

the chances are really low.

00:47:54,663 --> 00:47:58,584

Like, I just started cycling four years

before I knew that

00:47:58,584 --> 00:48:01,587

maybe I had a 10% chance of making it

to the Olympics, were cycling.

00:48:01,753 --> 00:48:04,882

But I also knew that if I didn't try,

the chances were zero and I was like,

00:48:04,882 --> 00:48:07,926

okay, well, 10% chance, 0% chance

like that should be a no brainer.

00:48:07,926 --> 00:48:12,431

Like, why would I

why would I, you know, trade 10% for 0%.

00:48:13,056 --> 00:48:16,059

And so I decided to, to basically

give up everything and to go do it.

00:48:16,435 --> 00:48:19,229

And I did it

because, you know, the Olympics, they were

00:48:19,229 --> 00:48:20,355

they were childhood dream.

00:48:20,355 --> 00:48:22,608

It was kind of the biggest dream

I'd ever had,

00:48:22,608 --> 00:48:26,236

even though I had never prioritised it

in the way that I really needed to.

00:48:27,779 --> 00:48:30,616

But but yeah, the

time came where I realised that I couldn't

00:48:30,616 --> 00:48:32,367

I couldn't let life

get in the way anymore,

00:48:32,367 --> 00:48:36,622

and I couldn't kind of let life

decide the direction I was going to go.

00:48:36,622 --> 00:48:39,499

I had to make it happen

if I wanted to make it happen,

00:48:39,499 --> 00:48:41,376

like I had to take charge

and make it happen,

00:48:41,376 --> 00:48:42,461

and I had to change the direction

00:48:42,461 --> 00:48:44,046

of my life,

because the direction of my life

00:48:44,046 --> 00:48:46,298

at the time

was not leading me to the Olympics.

00:48:46,298 --> 00:48:50,052

So I think that's kind of the

the genesis of the Olympic journey.

00:48:50,052 --> 00:48:54,348

But I can elaborate on the more recent

part of the journey as well.

00:48:55,724 --> 00:48:58,268

So now that you talked about this

00:48:58,268 --> 00:49:01,271

Olympic dream, the dream now is for think.

00:49:01,313 --> 00:49:02,689

Mission accomplished.

00:49:02,689 --> 00:49:04,691

Now, what is your next dream?

00:49:04,691 --> 00:49:08,403

The Olympics in front of your home

crowd in LA?

00:49:08,403 --> 00:49:11,406

Or maybe Tour de France podium?

00:49:11,615 --> 00:49:13,241

What would be your next dream?

00:49:13,241 --> 00:49:17,621

You want to throw everything

into the battle to achieve that dream?

00:49:18,664 --> 00:49:19,539

It's a great question.

00:49:19,539 --> 00:49:22,584

I, I'm still kind of I mean,

I definitely want to compete in LA.

00:49:22,626 --> 00:49:24,920

I'd love to compete in the time

trial as well.

00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:26,922

I think this year

I tried to go for the time trial

00:49:26,922 --> 00:49:30,342

and I didn't make it so going to LA

and competing in the time

00:49:30,342 --> 00:49:33,345

trial would be another big goal of mine,

especially on home crowds.

00:49:34,930 --> 00:49:37,391

But, you know, it's, yeah,

00:49:37,391 --> 00:49:41,395

you know, I, I, I, I still have so much

I want to accomplish as a cyclist.

00:49:41,395 --> 00:49:43,814

Like, I also want to be a world champion,

00:49:43,814 --> 00:49:47,317

either in the road race

or in the time trial, or in team pursuit.

00:49:47,359 --> 00:49:49,361

But having ended my career

00:49:49,361 --> 00:49:52,364

with rainbow stripes

is something I definitely want to do.

00:49:52,489 --> 00:49:54,950

I would love to win a stage

at the tour de France.

00:49:54,950 --> 00:49:56,201

You know, I've won stages at the world.

00:49:56,201 --> 00:49:57,828

Do I have won stages of the Giro?

So kind of.

00:49:57,828 --> 00:50:01,039

The last one to tick off is the tour de

France, and I haven't done that yet.

00:50:01,039 --> 00:50:04,334

So that's,

definitely on my radar for next year.

00:50:04,876 --> 00:50:08,797

And then I think I'd like to win

one of the classics

00:50:08,797 --> 00:50:11,299

or one of the monuments,

although I think Strada

00:50:11,299 --> 00:50:14,302

Bianche might be more important to me

than some of the other monuments.

00:50:14,428 --> 00:50:16,471

And I'd like to be a bit of a GC rider.

00:50:16,471 --> 00:50:19,808

But but again, like, I have four years

to make some of these goals happen.

00:50:19,808 --> 00:50:23,979

And I think kind of biting them off year

by year is a goal of mine.

00:50:23,979 --> 00:50:27,607

So yeah, I'd like to,

when the rainbow stripes

00:50:27,816 --> 00:50:30,235

like the one two stages is sort of France

and I'd like to make it to LA.

00:50:30,235 --> 00:50:32,529

So those are kind of my,

my goals right now.

00:50:32,529 --> 00:50:35,323

But I'll be honest, you know,

the Olympic Olympics was a dream.

00:50:35,323 --> 00:50:37,325

Like it wasn't a goal. It was a dream.

00:50:37,325 --> 00:50:40,704

And I don't think I have a dream

as big right now as I did

00:50:40,704 --> 00:50:41,913

before going to the Olympics.

00:50:41,913 --> 00:50:44,332

You know, I think what I have right now

in front of me are goals,

00:50:44,332 --> 00:50:45,584

they're not necessarily dreams.

00:50:45,584 --> 00:50:50,255

I think a dream would be

a much bigger life event, and I don't know

00:50:50,255 --> 00:50:53,884

if I have a a dream in the next two years

that I'm looking to accomplish.

00:50:53,884 --> 00:50:57,763

But I think that's the exciting part of,

of this phase of my life, is that I can

00:50:57,763 --> 00:50:58,680

come up with new ones.

00:51:00,807 --> 00:51:04,061

One of the things that I take away

from listening to you

00:51:04,061 --> 00:51:07,064

speak all the time is that you're a very,

00:51:07,355 --> 00:51:10,567

you're you're a good listener.

00:51:10,776 --> 00:51:13,904

And then you seem to take criticism

00:51:14,237 --> 00:51:17,866

as constructive,

and then you, you learn from that.

00:51:17,866 --> 00:51:21,828

And for for the young men

and women out there,

00:51:21,828 --> 00:51:27,250

being new at something or not

good at something, if you don't listen,

00:51:27,375 --> 00:51:31,421

you're never going to learn

and you've just kind of mastered that.

00:51:31,421 --> 00:51:34,424

I remember when we spoke earlier,

you mentioned that,

00:51:34,716 --> 00:51:37,219

on your old team,

00:51:37,219 --> 00:51:41,765

there was a teammate that was at that time

kind of one of the meanest

00:51:41,765 --> 00:51:42,933

and then turned out to be

00:51:42,933 --> 00:51:44,893

one of your favorite teammates

of all time,

00:51:44,893 --> 00:51:47,354

because she actually kept it

real with you.

00:51:47,354 --> 00:51:47,938

Right.

00:51:47,938 --> 00:51:53,068

So what would you suggest to those younger

or less experienced,

00:51:53,401 --> 00:51:57,405

especially young women

that are having to navigate the waters

00:51:57,405 --> 00:52:03,161

that that you've obviously successfully,

successfully navigated recently just

00:52:04,329 --> 00:52:05,622

learning as you go,

00:52:05,622 --> 00:52:08,625

what is there any tips that you can give?

00:52:08,708 --> 00:52:11,711

Yeah, I think that, you know,

there's a few things, like,

00:52:11,711 --> 00:52:13,630

we always want to do what we're good at.

00:52:13,630 --> 00:52:15,048

We always want to do what's comfortable.

00:52:15,048 --> 00:52:19,136

And I think it's because we're afraid

of looking bad to other people.

00:52:19,136 --> 00:52:21,096

We're afraid

of recognising our weaknesses.

00:52:21,096 --> 00:52:26,351

And, the only way like, the thing is,

like, when we do something, we're bad.

00:52:26,351 --> 00:52:27,227

It it kind of

00:52:27,227 --> 00:52:28,812

takes a head to our confidence,

00:52:28,812 --> 00:52:31,231

but there's nothing that's

going to take a hit to our confidence.

00:52:31,231 --> 00:52:34,359

Then if we let that weakness persist

for the next ten years.

00:52:34,693 --> 00:52:34,985

Right.

00:52:34,985 --> 00:52:38,029

So if it's like, why would I want that

weakness in ten years?

00:52:38,029 --> 00:52:41,658

But if I work on it right now and kind of

let my ego go in the short term,

00:52:41,950 --> 00:52:43,827

then in ten years

that's no longer going to be weakness,

00:52:43,827 --> 00:52:45,579

and that's going to be a huge source

of confidence for me,

00:52:45,579 --> 00:52:48,456

because I have one less weakness

that could cause and insecurity. Right.

00:52:48,456 --> 00:52:51,877

And so I think, when you

when you work on your weaknesses,

00:52:51,877 --> 00:52:54,379

like you're taking kind of a hit

to your confidence in the short term,

00:52:54,379 --> 00:52:56,715

but it's really going to build

your confidence for the long term.

00:52:56,715 --> 00:53:00,051

And I think just like remembering

that long term mindset really helps me,

00:53:00,135 --> 00:53:03,138

kind of really focus on my weaknesses.

00:53:03,847 --> 00:53:05,098

Something that I really like to say.

00:53:05,098 --> 00:53:07,559

I had a former manager

and boss in venture capital,

00:53:07,559 --> 00:53:10,145

and she used to say

that the best employees were T-shaped,

00:53:10,145 --> 00:53:12,898

where they're really broad

in a lot of areas, but, or.

00:53:12,898 --> 00:53:15,025

Sorry, they're really kind of,

you know, they're good

00:53:15,025 --> 00:53:17,986

in a broad set of areas,

but they're really experts in one area.

00:53:18,069 --> 00:53:20,405

And I think I took that approach

to racing where,

00:53:20,405 --> 00:53:21,907

you know,

I wanted to be a good enough climber.

00:53:21,907 --> 00:53:24,576

I want to be good enough descender,

I want to be a good enough sprinter.

00:53:24,576 --> 00:53:25,994

But really, I needed to to

00:53:25,994 --> 00:53:28,663

and I needed all those things

to not get dropped in a race.

00:53:28,663 --> 00:53:31,458

But the way I was going to win a race,

I had to be the best at something.

00:53:31,458 --> 00:53:34,669

And so for me, you know, I have kind of

this broad range of skills on the bike.

00:53:34,669 --> 00:53:36,713

But then my secret sauce is kind of my,

my time trial

00:53:36,713 --> 00:53:39,007

and in my attacking and like,

that's how I win.

00:53:39,007 --> 00:53:40,425

And that's kind of my deep area.

00:53:40,425 --> 00:53:43,929

And so I think for for people who are,

you know, looking at their weaknesses,

00:53:43,929 --> 00:53:44,638

it's like,

00:53:44,638 --> 00:53:47,933

think about the areas, you know,

whether it's your breath or your depth

00:53:47,933 --> 00:53:49,267

that you need to work on

00:53:49,267 --> 00:53:50,435

and think about, like,

00:53:50,435 --> 00:53:52,395

what are the things that are going to get

you dropped in the race?

00:53:52,395 --> 00:53:54,522

What are the things that are going

to prevent you from winning?

00:53:54,522 --> 00:53:58,026

And if you can really work on

those weaknesses and like that's, that's

00:53:58,109 --> 00:53:59,736

that's

going to make the difference for you.

00:53:59,736 --> 00:54:03,823

And as for me, like working on

my attacking might not make me

00:54:04,115 --> 00:54:06,910

a significantly better writer,

but working on my descending right now.

00:54:06,910 --> 00:54:09,037

Well,

and so that's kind of what I'm working on.

00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:11,289

So I think, you know,

00:54:11,289 --> 00:54:14,709

having having the ability

to, like, recognise,

00:54:16,503 --> 00:54:19,297

like, what are your goals and what's

preventing you from getting there?

00:54:19,297 --> 00:54:22,509

And oftentimes it's, it's actually our ego

that's preventing us from getting there

00:54:22,509 --> 00:54:25,929

because it's our ego that's preventing us

from working on our our weak spots.

00:54:26,137 --> 00:54:28,181

And the weak spots

are preventing us from getting there.

00:54:28,181 --> 00:54:31,643

And I think when you can recognise

that your ego is the biggest thing holding

00:54:31,643 --> 00:54:33,520

you back from where you want to go,

00:54:33,520 --> 00:54:36,064

then then suddenly, like,

you can't blame the rest of the world.

00:54:36,064 --> 00:54:38,984

Like you can't blame the weather,

you can't blame your coaches.

00:54:38,984 --> 00:54:41,152

You can't blame,

you know, the fact that you started late.

00:54:41,152 --> 00:54:42,279

It's like you can't blame

00:54:42,279 --> 00:54:44,281

all these external things for the reason

you're not successful.

00:54:44,281 --> 00:54:47,284

Like oftentimes the reason we're not

successful is because we have an ego

00:54:47,367 --> 00:54:49,244

that's preventing us

from working on our weaknesses,

00:54:49,244 --> 00:54:51,454

which is preventing us

from being really great at something.

00:54:51,454 --> 00:54:55,292

And so I think it creates a high degree

of individual accountability

00:54:55,292 --> 00:54:57,127

to and we're willing

to work on our weaknesses.

00:54:59,129 --> 00:54:59,629

Don't we?

00:54:59,629 --> 00:55:04,175

Some wise words, and I'm going to take

some of that with me.

00:55:04,426 --> 00:55:08,805

So Kristen, it was absolutely fantastic

to talk to you.

00:55:08,805 --> 00:55:12,642

And finishing

with an almost philosophical little touch

00:55:13,101 --> 00:55:15,854

sanctioned million

for being our guest tonight.

00:55:15,854 --> 00:55:20,317

And we wish you well all the best

for your whirlwind trip was all the media,

00:55:20,567 --> 00:55:25,030

some nice relaxed time and then a clear

focus on next season, we will follow.

00:55:25,447 --> 00:55:27,866

Whatever happens in your journey

next year.

00:55:27,866 --> 00:55:30,744

Thanks again for being our guest tonight.

00:55:30,744 --> 00:55:31,911

Thank you so much for having me.