Neilson Powless facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Neilson Powless

Powless in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Neilson Powless
Born	(1996-09-03) September 3, 1996 (age 28) Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, U.S.
Height	1.83 m
Weight	67kg
Team information
Current team	EF Education–EasyPost
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Puncheur, Classics specialist
Major wins
One-day races and Classics Dwars door Vlaanderen (2025) Clásica de San Sebastián (2021) Gran Piemonte (2024) Japan Cup (2022, 2024)

Neilson Hunter Powless (born September 3, 1996) is an American professional road racing cyclist. He rides for the EF Education–EasyPost team. Neilson is also a member of the Oneida Nation. He made history as the first US Native American to race in the famous Tour de France.

Neilson Powless's Cycling Journey

Starting His Professional Career (2018-2021)

Neilson Powless became a professional cyclist in 2018. He joined the LottoNL–Jumbo team. His first big multi-day race, called a Grand Tour, was the 2019 Vuelta a España. He helped his teammate Primož Roglič win the race.

In 2020, Neilson moved to the EF Pro Cycling team. He was chosen to race in the 2020 Tour de France. He supported his team leader, Rigoberto Urán, who was trying to win the overall race. During this Tour, Neilson was part of a "breakaway" group. This is when a small group of riders gets ahead of the main pack. He finished one stage in the top 5!

Neilson raced in the 2021 Tour de France again. Earlier that year, he finished 5th in the 2021 UAE Tour. In July, he won the 2021 Clásica de San Sebastián, a big one-day race. He was only the second American to ever win it. Later in 2021, he placed 5th at the UCI World Championships.

Big Races and Milestones (2022-Present)

Neilson Powless wearing the polka dot jersey at the 2023 Tour de France. This jersey is for the best climber!

In the 2022 Tour de Suisse, Neilson was very active. He joined many breakaways and stayed near the top riders. He finished 4th overall in this important race.

He also raced in the 2022 Tour de France. On stage 5, which had many rough cobbled roads, he joined a breakaway. The overall race leader, Wout van Aert, had some crashes. This gave Neilson a chance to move up. He got to 2nd place overall, just 13 seconds behind the leader! This was the closest an American had been to wearing the yellow jersey (for the overall leader) in a long time.

Neilson kept trying to win stages. On stage 12, he was the only rider to attack right at the start. He finished 4th on that tough stage. He also climbed well and reached 3rd place in the mountains competition. He finished the 2022 Tour de France in 12th place overall. This was the best result for his team.

He ended 2022 with a solo win at the 2022 Japan Cup.

Neilson started 2023 with great success. He won the 2023 Étoile de Bessèges stage race. He also won the 2023 Grand Prix La Marseillaise one-day race. He then had many top 10 finishes in big spring races. These included the Tour of Flanders and 2023 Milan–San Remo.

He was chosen for the 2023 Tour de France again. He wore the polka dot jersey for the best climber for most of the first two weeks! He eventually finished 4th in the mountains competition.

In 2024, Neilson continued his winning ways. He won the 2024 Gran Piemonte and the 2024 Japan Cup. He also earned two 3rd place finishes at the US National Road Championships. In 2025, he won the 2025 Dwars door Vlaanderen and the GP Gippingen.

Personal Life

Neilson's family has a strong connection to sports. His mother, Jen Allred, ran the marathon for Guam in the 1992 Summer Olympics. His older sister, Shayna Powless, is also a professional cyclist. Neilson married Frances Powless in 2020. They welcomed their first child, Charlotte Ann Powless, in September 2023.

Major Achievements

See also

In Spanish: Neilson Powless para niños