'Being a little sneaky' with smart teamwork, Kristen Faulkner starts her European season at Tour of Flanders and says EF Education-Oatly 'can surprise the field'

Kristen Faulkner, representing EF Education-Oatly, is set to commence her European road season at the Tour of Flanders, following a successful return from 2023 shoulder surgery. Her fitness was emphatically confirmed by three gold medals on both road and track at the recent Pan American Championships. Faulkner, who explicitly stated her team's intention to be "a little sneaky" and "surprise the field," now targets the Ardennes Classics.

This return is significant given Faulkner's previous trajectory, which included a breakthrough 2022 season featuring a Giro d'Italia Donne stage win and a third-place overall at the Tour de Suisse. Her 2023 was largely derailed by the aforementioned shoulder injury, making her comeback a crucial test of her Grand Tour GC aspirations and EF Education-Oatly's depth in the Classics. Her confidence, backed by recent results, suggests a rider not merely participating, but aiming to dictate.

Faulkner's bold declaration to "surprise the field" at Flanders is either a stroke of tactical genius or a hostage to fortune. Either way, it ensures she won't be easily overlooked.