Kristen Faulkner (USA) and Walter Vargas (Colombia) have won titles in the elite women’s and elite men’s time trials, respectively, at the Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile on Sunday.
The time trial courses were predominantly flat and took place between Isla de Maipo and the Palacio de La Moneda, with the women completing one lap and the men two laps of a 20.1km circuit.
Faulkner covered the elite women’s 20.1km course in a winning time of 25:45 at an average speed of 46.8km/h, beating runner-up Arlenis Sierra (Cuba) by 22 seconds and Aranza Valentina Villalón (Chile) taking third by just 0.17 seconds behind the Cuban.
Faulkner’s compatriot Lauren Stephens finished in fourth place at 42 seconds back. “Congrats Lauren Stephens for a super 4th place and thank you USA Cycling for all the support,” she said after her victory.
The double Giro d’Italia stage winner is set to depart her current trade team Jayco AlUla and will be racing for US team EF Education-Cannondale in 2024.
Vargas covered the elite men’s 40.2km course in a winning time of 47.03 at an average speed of 51km/h.
“I am happy to win the Pan American Games, which was my main goal for the year. It’s a lot of effort and sacrifice, but I have achieved the medal, the reward,” Vargas said. “I dedicate it to my family and my girlfriend, with whom I will soon be getting married.”
Vargas beat Olympic road race champion Richard Carapaz (Ecuador) by 33 seconds and Conor White (Bermuda) by 1:11.
Following the event, Carapaz said he was disappointed not to win the gold medal but that finishing second would help to build his confidence after a tough season.
“We knew time trials weren’t our strength, but there’s always hope for a win. We couldn’t get the gold, but we’re taking the silver,” Carapaz said.
Carapaz crashed out of the Tour de France on the first day and didn’t recover in time to ride the Vuelta a España, but he finished the season with second places at Giro della Toscana and Tre Valli Varesine and eighth at Il Lombardia.
“It has been a tough year for me, and ending it with a medal makes me believe in myself again,” he said.
