Taylor

Taylor Phinney is an American professional cyclist from Boulder, Colorado, who now resides full-time in Girona, Spain. The son of accomplished American athletes Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Taylor grew up with cycling in his DNA. His mother was a multi-sport athlete who competed in speedskating at the 1972 Winter Games before winning the first-ever women’s Olympic road race gold medal in 1984, while his father was a Tour de France stage winner and Olympic bronze medalist. As a teenager, Taylor spent three years of his youth living in Italy while his parents operated a bike touring company—an experience that left him fluent in Italian and fostered an affinity for European cycling culture.

Early in his career, Taylor quickly established himself as one of America's top cycling prospects, capturing the sport's attention with two Paris-Roubaix Espoirs victories, back-to-back Elite Track Cycling World Championships (2009, 2010), and a notable stint in the leader's pink jersey (Maglia Rosa) at the 2012 Giro d'Italia. He was only the third American in history to hold the leader's jersey at the event, which he maintained for three stages.

His Olympic career includes two close fourth-place finishes in the road race and time trial at the London 2012 Games. After a severe crash in 2014 that broke his left leg, Taylor underwent an incredible recovery to return to competition and represent the US at the Rio 2016 Games. One year before retiring from the WorldTour, Taylor finished strong, placing 8th overall at the 2018 Paris-Roubaix. Following his retirement, he transitioned to gravel racing to explore a less rigid side of the sport. This shift saw him take on off-road cycling events, including the 750km Badlands challenge alongside his wife, Tour de France Femmes champion Kasia Niewiadoma, as well as the Sahara Gravel 4-Day Stage Race and The Traka 360km race.

What began as an exploration of off-road riding eventually renewed his competitive drive, leading to a late-career return to track cycling dubbed “Comeback 3000.” Taylor recently described his comeback in a recent interview with The New York Times' The Athletic. At 35 years old, Taylor has rejoined the training camps of the USA Cycling Team Pursuit squad, returning to the velodrome boards where his international career first took root. He is leveraging his experience to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. For an athlete whose career balanced achievements with adversity, competing on home soil offers a meaningful and exciting opportunity to pursue yet another Olympic milestone.

Off the bike, Taylor’s distinct personality and varied interests set him apart from traditional athletic molds. His pursuits extend deeply into art, design, and music. He regularly DJs at cycling events, and his artwork includes large-scale paintings and mixed-media pieces that utilize bold colors, text, and a raw aesthetic to create intricate, complex compositions.

For a brief look into Taylor's athletic and creative world, check out "Why I Ride - Taylor Phinney."