Neilson Powless Takes Bold Step in Stage 15 of 2025 Tour de France

In a thrilling display of determination, Neilson Powless, a professional cyclist representing EF Education-EasyPost, made a daring move at the beginning of Stage 15 of the 2025 Tour de France, held on July 20, 2025. The American rider launched an early solo attack from Muret, navigating challenging crosswinds, as a chaotic peloton behind him struggled with crashes and echelons, which disrupted their chase.

Powless's strategy paid off as he was later joined by a group of 14 riders, forming the day’s breakaway. As temperatures soared to 35 degrees Celsius, he maintained a steady pace, conserving his energy for the formidable climbs ahead toward Carcassonne. However, despite his strong performance on the initial climbs, Powless encountered difficulty during the Pas du Sant, ultimately dropping back to assist his teammate, Michael Valgren, who sprinted to a commendable ninth place by the finish.

Ben Healy, another key rider from the EF Education-EasyPost team, also showcased his skills by leading the peloton to the finish line, keeping him within the top ten of the general classification as the tour approached its second rest day. Healy’s position is bolstered by the efforts of his teammates Kasper Asgreen, Vincenzo Albanese, and Harry Sweeny, who worked diligently to support him throughout the stage.

"It was a super fast day. I kind of got stuck on my own out there for a little in the beginning. And then a group came across, which I was happy about," Powless reflected after the race. "Unfortunately, we had a passenger with Tim Wellens. He said he wasn’t going to pull when he came up from the car. Everyone kept asking him why. We all knew that our only chance to really get away was to keep pushing. So, we just carried him. And he proved the strongest in the end."

Andreas Klier, the Sports Director for EF Education-EasyPost, acknowledged the challenge faced by Powless and Valgren, stating, "They didn’t have the legs to follow the best five or six riders at a certain moment of the bike race. We were not so sure if the winner would actually come from the first break, until we saw Wellens moving. And once he moved you, you could see, okay, he is on a day similar to the one Ben had. He had a great day."

The stage concluded with the peloton regrouping as they headed into a much-anticipated rest day before resuming the Tour with a pivotal summit finish at Mont-Ventoux. The upcoming stages will be critical for Powless, who aims to secure his first stage victory at the Tour de France, a long-held dream for the talented cyclist.

Powless's journey in professional cycling began with X-Terra triathlons in Northern California, where he initially focused on mountain biking. Since turning professional in 2018, he made history as the first tribally recognized Native North American to compete in the Tour de France and has since garnered numerous accolades, including a victory at the prestigious Clásica San Sebastián in 2021.

As the 2025 Tour de France progresses, the cycling community eagerly anticipates how Powless and his teammates will fare in the remaining stages and whether they can capitalize on their recent successes to achieve their goals in one of the most challenging cycling events in the world.