- Details
- By Monica Whitepigeon
PUY MARY, France— Dreams continue to come true for Oneida cyclist Neilson Powless as he became the first Native American to compete in the Tour de France.
On Aug. 27, he posted on his Facebook page, “I can’t believe I’ll be starting my first @letourdefrance in 2 days… It’s been a whirlwind year but I’m super happy to be lining up here in Nice with the rest of the @efprocycling squad. Hopefully everyone can enjoy these next 21 days of racing through France. Keep an eye on the boys in pink!”
The three-week cycling event was originally set to start in June but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Fans have to adhere to safety precautions and practice social distancing measures while supporting their favorite teams and athletes.
Each year, 22 teams participate in the Tour de France and cover more than 100 miles per day for 21 days. This year’s Tour began in late August and will continue until Sept. 20.
In 2020, Powless joined the EF Pro Cycling Team, an international pro cycling team made up of 29 riders representing 16 nationalities. He is only one of three Americans to ride in the competition. Powless and his seven other teammates must work together collectively to boost each other’s performance and advance EF’s overall placement in the Tour.
Powless celebrated his birthday by finishing 4th in the Mont Aigoual Causses Cévennes race. (Photo via Facebook)
Having grown up in an athletic family, Powless entered into the competitive cycling scene at 19 when he finished ninth overall during the 2016 Amgen Tour of California. His athletic success and sportsmanship helped advance his career to be considered for international competitions, including the WorldTour.
“My parents were both triathletes so I began competing in triathlons from a very young age,” Powless said in a 2016 interview with Oneida Nation. “With racing in triathlons you’re always involved in swimming, biking, and running so I pretty much grew up doing all three. I was also involved in swimming and running cross country for school but by my junior year I began to get serious about cycling.”
His sister, Shayna Powless, is also a pro cyclist and advocate for Native people. She and her partner, pro athlete Eli Ankou (Ojibwe), started the Dream Catcher Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through sports and bringing awareness to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Powless recently celebrated his 24th birthday by finishing fourth in the Stage 6 race in Valleraugue, France.
“I did my best to race for the win in a group of world class athletes. 4th in the end but I gained a lot of experience,” Powless said in a Facebook post on Sept. 3.
As of Sept. 15, after Stage 16, EF Pro Cycling ranks ninth among teams while Powless sits at 59th in the individual rankings.
More Stories Like This
Biden Nominates Salish & Kootenai Tribal Attorney Danna Jackson for Federal BenchA Conversation With Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan: What We Can Celebrate Around the State
Return to the Heart Foundation Gives 44 Micro-Grants to Native Women Leaders
Indigenous Journalists Association President Addresses Members of the UNPFII
Inter-Tribal Council Passes Resolution Urging FCC to Establish Specific Event Code for Missing and Endangered Persons
Native Perspective. Native Voices. Native News.
We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers. We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.
