In recent years, discussions surrounding the state of North
American road cycling have intensified to say the least. Towards the back end
of last year, we delved into concerns about the sport's decline in the USA, the
lingering effects of the Lance Armstrong scandal, the absence of American races
on the UCI World Tour, and Europe's continued dominance over the USA in
cycling.
These challenges have undoubtedly impacted the sport's
landscape in North America, but is it all doom and gloom?
No, absolutely not. In 2024, we saw glimpses of the talented
crop of American talent either emerging at the top of the sport or breaking
into the pro ranks now. With that being said, in this article we’re looking at
riders from across the continent of North America who are charged with
returning their part of the world to the upper stratosphere of professional
cycling.
So who are the best riders in North America?
1. Matteo Jorgenson
Judging by his performances last year, this first pick is a
pretty obvious choice.
Matteo Jorgenson has rapidly ascended the professional
cycling ranks, and last year was probably he showed himself as the most
promising talent. After a stellar debut season with Team Visma | Lease a Bike
in 2024, Jorgenson has set his sights on Grand Tour success in the future.
Jorgenson joined the team when they were coming off a clean
sweep of all three grand tours in 2023, but it’s safe to say things didn’t plan
out the same way last year. Whilst the team struggled with seemingly endless
crashes and injuries, Jorgenson was consistently providing moments to cheer
about for the team.
Just think back to the spring at Dwars door Vlaanderen when
Jorgenson picked up a victory for the team on an otherwise bleak day for Visma,
as Wout van Aert crashed hard and sat out the rest of the classics season.
Reflecting on his first year with the team, where he also
won Paris-Nice, he described it as a "dream first season," emphasising
his commitment to building upon that foundation this year. Jorgenson's
ambitions are clear: he aims to secure a Grand Tour victory, a goal he believes
is within reach given his current trajectory.
Beyond the Grand Tours, he's also eager to make his mark in
the Spring Classics, showing he is by no means a one-dimensional rider. The
American is certainly deserving a Tour de France stage win too, and he would
already have one to his name if it wasn’t for the ridiculous form of Tadej
Pogacar at last year’s Tour.
2. Derek Gee
Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, Derek Gee has emerged as a
standout performer in the peloton, and he is immediately becoming a fan
favourite.
The 27-year-old made headlines with his first professional
victory on Stage Three of the Critérium du Dauphiné, and he then went on to
finish third overall behind Primoz Roglic and Jorgenson.
Fast forward a month later, and his impressive ninth-place
finish in his Tour de France debut further solidified his reputation as a rider
to watch. Looking ahead to 2025, Gee has expressed a renewed focus on the Giro
d'Italia, aiming to return in a different capacity than his 2023 appearance
where he won the combativity award. Keep an eye on Gee in 2025!
3. Sepp Kuss
Sepp Kuss's unexpected victory at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana
catapulted him into the spotlight, and we now know that this wasn’t necessarily
what he wanted. However, the subsequent 2024 season proved challenging, as he
could not help Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour due to COVID before he endured a
miserable time in Spain, with Kuss finishing 14th in his Vuelta title defence.
So what on earth happened to Kuss last year?
Can Sepp Kuss get back to his 2023 level?
Reflecting on the year, he acknowledged the inconsistencies
in his performance and the impact of health setbacks. For 2025, Kuss plans to
return to a support role, believing his true strength is in the role of a
domestique. He stated, "I find the best version of myself when I start to
help other riders," highlighting his commitment to team success.
We’re sure that Jonas Vingegaard feels that way too, given
how much he missed his American friend whilst isolated against the might of UAE
at the 2024 Tour. If Vingegaard gets Kuss back to full fitness this year, it
will be a massive boost.
4. Neilson Powless
Neilson Powless stands out not only for his performances but
also for his unique background as the first tribally recognized Native North
American to compete in the Tour de France, making him more than just a rider.
After overcoming injury and illness in 2024, Powless regained
his form in the latter part of the season, securing wins at Gran Piemonte and
the Japan Cup. Looking ahead, he has set ambitious goals, expressing a desire
to podium in a Monument and seize as many opportunities as he can in spring
races.
Still, his quest for a grand tour stage win goes on. Will
2025 he finally ticks this off the bucket list?
5. Quinn Simmons
Quinn Simmons burst onto the scene in 2019 as the Junior
World Champion, as he took the rainbow jersey in the race in Yorkshire. But
he’s not quite managed to hit those heights yet as a pro.
Read also
Despite facing challenges in maintaining consistency over
recent seasons, Simmons has shown glimpses of what he can do. A notable
ninth-place finish at the World Championships underscored his capabilities,
even as he critiqued his own race strategy in the race won by Tadej Pogacar.
As he approaches the 2025 season, Simmons is focused on
achieving consistent performances, aiming to translate his undeniable potential
into significant victories. Sometimes it takes riders longer than expected to
make things work in the professional peloton, and Simmons will be hoping 2025
is his year.
While North American road cycling has faced its share of
challenges, the emergence of these talented riders suggests things are not as
bleak as many make out. But, 2025 needs to be about more than just potential,
and it’s time for the countries of North America to start racking up some more
wins.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling forRafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
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