Olympic and U.S. national champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education–Oatly) will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair an injury sustained at Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The surgery was needed to stabilise cartilage in her right shoulder, the team's medical staff explained.
"After she’d had a few days’ rest, she noticed that her shoulder was still pretty painful, so we organized an MRI scan that showed some damage to the cartilage, which could potentially cause some shoulder instability. After consulting with USA Cycling and a couple of orthopedic doctors in America, we decided that the best thing to do for her long-term health was an operation to repair the cartilage," said EF Pro Cycling Head Doctor Jon Greenwell.
The timing of the procedure means Faulkner will sit out the remainder of the calendar, including the Maryland Cycling Classic and the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda.
"Now was the best time to do it," Greenwell said. "We didn’t want to leave it and then have her suffer from pain and instability later...The rehab process will be about six weeks before she can get back on the bike, and then she'll be ready to go for a full preseason to race next year.”
The shoulder issue capped off a summer marred by illness and bad luck for Faulkner. She battled illness in the run-up to the women's Tour de France, and consequently lined up for the start far from peak condition.
Once the Tour began, she endured two crashes in the first four stages and narrowly avoided the time cut on Stage 2. She abandoned on Stage 5 after crashing during the neutral roll-out from Chasseneuil-du-Poitou.
Despite the disappointment, Faulkner used the moment to highlight the realities of professional sport. “Most people get to choose what moments they share on social media. For us racers, it’s just our raw selves, and we don’t get to choose what the cameras zoom in on or what people see. I hope it’s relatable, and reminds people that even the strongest struggle, whether you’re an Olympic medalist or not. Every champion, every leader, every Instagram model has moments like this. We’re all human.”
Though her season has ended prematurely, Faulkner is confident that the surgery will allow her to return stronger.
“The surgery was very successful,” she said. “I am recovering now, and with the timing of it, I'll be able to start next season on a normal timeline. I'll be healthy and fully recovered going into next season.”
