Neilson Powless

When Neilson Powless started racing X-Terra triathlons with his sister back home in Northern California, he just wanted to spend time outside and rip around the trails near his house. His first love was mountain biking. It was his best discipline in those off-road triathlons, and when he got to high school, there were all sorts of opportunities for him to compete in California’s mountain bike league. Soon, he was traveling with the US national team, racing junior world cups and championships against the world’s most talented mountain bikers. Race in and race out, Neilson proved he was one of them.

Then he decided he wanted to have a go on the road.

Neilson has progressed steadily since he turned pro in 2018, thanks to his hard work and diligent approach to training. In 2020, Neilson became the first tribally recognized Native North American to race the Tour de France. The next year, he won Spain’s greatest one-day race, the Clásica San Sebastián, and finished fifth at the world championships in Belgium. Neilson was stellar in 2022. After a strong campaign in the Ardennes, he finished fourth on GC at the Tour de Suisse and lit up the Tour de France. He finished the year off with a victory at the Japan Cup. In 2023, he won his first race of the year: the Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille. He then won the overall at Étoile de Bèsseges and stormed the Flemish classics, finishing third at Dwars door Vlaanderen and fifth at De Ronde in his debut campaign on the cobbles.

He raced his fifth Tour de France in 2024 and played a big role in helping teammate Richard Carapaz win the King of the Mountains jersey. He capped off the year with wins at Gran Piemonte and Japan Cup.

Neilson lives in Nice, France with his wife and young daughter during the racing season. He enjoys exploring their adopted city and relaxing on the beach after hard rides through the Alps.

Fun Facts

If you had to cook dinner for the team, what would be on the menu?
Pasta carbonara.

What’s the first thing you do when you get home after being away at a race?
Sleep.

What is your favorite climb? What makes it special?
Col de La Croix de Fer. I won a race as a U23 on top. I had cramps for the whole last two kilometers, but it was beautiful and gave me chills when I crossed the line. My long-time cycling mentor Mike Sayers was driving the DS car. I would not have been a road cyclist if not for him. That made it extra special.

What is your favorite pump-up song?
GOSSIP by Måneskin, featuring Tom Morello.

Who is your favorite athlete in any sport? (in any sport) What do you admire about them?
My parents. For being pro athletes and loving every minute of it. They were also able to raise two athletic kids who genuinely enjoy sports. Hopefully I can be a parent/athlete like that.

Date of birth: 09/03/1996
Hometown, Country: Sacramento, California, USA
Languages: English