Neilson Powless

Neilson Powless burst onto the United States road racing scene as a 19-year-old and found instant success, finishing ninth overall at the 2016 Amgen Tour of California and winning a stage at the Tour de l’Avenir. Those results shot him to the World Tour where his adaptability accelerated his learning curve. 

His sporting family laid the foundation for his future professional success. His mom ran the marathon in the 1992 Olympics. His dad was in the Air Force and raced Ironman’s, winning an award for being the top Ironman finisher who was also in the military. His sister, Shayna is also a professional cyclist who has raced for the US National Team. Family time in the Powless household was spent outdoors: swimming in the lake, running, and riding bikes on the trails in Northern California. 

Before pursuing cycling, Powless won both XTERRA National and World Championships in 2012. Since entering the World Tour, most notable results are as follows:

Winner of 2021 Klasikoa Donostia San Sebastián and the first time an American has won a World Tour one day race in over a decade.

5th place in 2021 Pro World Championships and the best result for an American in over two decades.

Competed twice in the Tour de France and first ever North American Native to compete in the Tour de France.

Photo: Getty Images