"I feel a responsibility" - First Native American Tour de France rider Neilson Powless wants to inspire more from his community to start cycling
Cycling
EF Education-EasyPost rider Neilson Powless is more than
just any cyclist, he’s the first Native American to ever race at the Tour de
France. Powless recently spoke with Men’s Health about his background, his
racing career, and how he hopes his achievements can inspire others from within
the Native American community.
The 28 year old won the Clasica de San Sebastian back in
2021, but is still searching for the elusive grand tour stage victory, despite
having worn the polka dot jersey during the 2023 Tour de France. Powless grew
up in California, away from his family’s community in Wisconsin, "For the
people there, cycling was something completely foreign," Powless says.
"But they loved that my sister and I were doing something outside the
norm."
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Powless gets his athletic abilities from his mother Jen
Allred, who ran in 1992 Olympic marathon, and his older sister Shayna Powless
is also a professional cyclist.
"Cycling gave me this huge ocean of competition. I felt
like I was closer to the top level than I was in other sports."
But Powless’ motivation in cycling is about more than just
winning races, he wants to introduce more from his community into the sport.
“Native Americans have very little representation in a sport
like cycling,” he says. “I feel a responsibility to maximize the opportunities
I’ve been given.
Powless went on to emphasise the importance his grandparents
place on his native American background, and he says, “That connection to my
roots has always kept him grounded.”
The EF Education-EasyPost rider also wants to raise
awareness for Dreamcatcher Foundation, the charity started by his sister that
helps to further raise awareness for Native American communities. The
Dreamcatcher Foundation has a heavy emphasis on the high rates of missing indigenous
women, that continue to trouble the community.
Powless came closest to winning a Tour de France stage back
in 2022 on Alpe d’Huez, only to be beaten up the climb by Tom Pidcock. Powless will
be hoping to finally climb that stage win in 2025, and to inspire more Native
Americans to get involved in the sport.
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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