'I want to set my sights on the Winter Games' - Quinn Simmons reveals his unusual ambitions

He is still just 24 years old, but Quinn “Captain America” Simmons has already set ambitions that extend beyond professional cycling, outlining plans that could see him compete at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Speaking with Belgian broadcaster Sporza, the Lidl–Trek rider said the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games would be his first objective, should he be selected. Beyond that, Simmons said he hopes to pursue a place at the 2034 Winter Olympic Games in Utah, potentially competing in the newly added discipline of ski mountaineering.

“First, I want to experience the Summer Games in LA 2028,” Simmons said. “After that, I want to set my sights on the Winter Games.”

Simmons’ comments come after a breakthrough 2025 season in which his aggressive racing style and frequent presence in breakaways (as well as his distinctive public persona) made him one of the most visible riders in the peloton. He claimed his first two WorldTour victories with stage wins at the Volta a Catalunya and the Tour de Suisse, finished second on a stage of the Tour de France, and secured third place at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. He later finished fourth at Il Lombardia.

During the Tour de France, Simmons was a near-constant feature on the broadcast, earning a most combative rider award as well as a "super teammate" award. He capped the race by proposing to his girlfriend on the rain-slicked cobbles of the Champs-Élysées, still in his kit following the final stage.

Visibility, Simmons said, is part of the responsibility that comes with racing at the highest level. “In the end, we are only paid to appear on TV,” he told Sporza. “You are obliged to your sponsors and your team to represent them as well as possible. You have to give the fans something to cheer for.”

Looking at the season ahead, Simmons aims to give the American fans plenty to cheer for, starting with Strade Bianche.

“I’ve been close to a top result there several times, so I think something is possible,” he said.

The Amstel Gold Race, the Tour de France and the World Championships are also on his target list. With the Worlds set to take place 'next door' in Canada, Simmons believes the United States is in the position to contend for medals with multiple riders.

Those targets form part of Simmons’ build-up toward a potential Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games. But if it is not in the cards for him to compete on two wheels, then perhaps on two skis instead. While rare, Simmons would not be the first cyclist to cross from summer to winter sport at the Olympic level.

Fellow Coloradoan Connie Carpenter competed in speed skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics before later claiming Olympic gold in cycling at the 1984 Summer Games. Meanwhile, Canadian Clara Hughes bridged the Olympic divide with great success, winning two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Summer Olympics and four medals across three Winter Olympics in speed skating.

While Simmons' Olympic dreams may sound unusual, they're by no means outlandish. Simmons grew up skiing in Durango, Colorado, and as a junior made the U.S. ski mountaineering national team. He competed internationally until his mid-teens, and even won a bronze medal in the cadet category at the 2017 Ski Mountaineering World Championships, before committing fully to cycling.

Ski mountaineering will make its full Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics, featuring short, high-intensity formats designed for broadcast competition. The discipline combines steep uphill ascents, rapid transitions and technical descents, requiring significant physical endurance, efficiency and tactical decision-making under pressure; not unlike the qualities needed as a cyclist.