Brandon McNulty has spent his entire career in the shadows. As Tadej Pogačar’s trusted lieutenant, he did the hard work so others could win. On Sunday in Montreal, he stepped into the light. The 28-year-old American stunned the cycling world by winning the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, ending a 33-year drought for the United States. Here is everything you need to know about the man behind the rainbow jersey.
Age and Background: From Phoenix to the World Stage
Brandon McNulty was born on April 2, 1998, in Phoenix, Arizona. He is 28 years old.
He was raised by his father, R.J. McNulty, an IT engineer who put him on a bike. Brandon started racing mountain bikes at age 11 and 12, winning nearly every race he entered before transitioning to the road.
His childhood was defined by extreme heat training, not altitude camps. Journalist Logan Jones-Wilkins, who grew up racing against McNulty in Phoenix, noted that “heat training works better for him than altitude.”
The Junior Phenom
McNulty wasn’t just good as a junior. He was a phenomenon. In 2015, at just 17, he averaged 370 watts in an eight-mile time trial at a training camp. USA Cycling thought his power meter was broken.
He won the junior world time trial title in 2016 in Doha, beating the field by 35 seconds. Before him, only three Americans had won that title: Greg LeMond, Jeff Evanshine, and Taylor Phinney.
Wife: Summer Moak
Brandon McNulty is married to Summer Moak, a fellow cyclist. The couple met as teenagers racing in the American junior circuit.
When McNulty was deciding his professional future, he turned down WorldTour offers to stay in the United States with Rally Cycling. The reason wasn’t just development. It was Summer. He didn’t want to be far from her.
They married in late October in Girona, Spain, a common home base for professional cyclists. The couple splits their time between Girona and McNulty’s hometown of Phoenix. When McNulty won the world title, Summer was the first person he found in the crowd, wrapping him in an American flag as she cried.
Career: The Loyal Lieutenant Who Finally Won
McNulty joined UAE Team Emirates in 2020 and quickly became one of Pogačar’s most trusted domestiques. He won stages at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. He finished sixth in the road race at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and fifth in the time trial at the Paris Olympics.
But he had never won a race of this magnitude. His best result in 2026 before the Worlds was third at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. He finished fourth in the time trial at Worlds, 12 seconds from a medal.
Then came Sunday. With Pogačar absent due to injury, McNulty attacked with 33 kilometers to go. The favorites hesitated. His teammates Matteo Jorgenson and Quinn Simmons neutralized every chase. McNulty held on by 13 seconds, finishing in 6 hours, 17 minutes, and 4 seconds.
“I joked about it with my wife,” McNulty said. “I knew something could happen, but it would take a miracle. I guess today, miracles happen.”
Net Worth
McNulty’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. As a key rider for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, he earns a substantial salary, supplemented by prize money and endorsement deals. He is known to own a Porsche Cayenne GT.
The Bottom Line
Brandon McNulty is 28 years old, a junior world champion, an Olympic near-miss, and now a road world champion. He spent years working for others. On Sunday, he finally worked for himself. And he did it with his wife crying in the crowd and his team boss Pogačar posting “The King of Montreal” from home.
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