Connections EP 018 | Ama Nsek — Racing Hard, Giving Back, and Making the Right Friends
In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, we sit down with Ama Nsek, 3x US National Champion and pro privateer based between Los Angeles and Medellín. Afro-Latino, first-generation college graduate, youth development coach, and one of the most compelling voices in American cycling right now.
Ama's path has never been conventional. He won his first national title at the collegiate level, then back-to-back Cat 1 road race national championships in 2022 and 2023. But his journey has also meant building a privateer programme from scratch, coaching the next generation, and spending months alone in Colombia training and doing outreach, all while managing sponsorships, contracts, and a packed diary.
In this episode we cover:
Three national championship wins and the stories behind each one
Building a privateer programme with sponsors including MAAP, Hunt Wheels, Continental, and Wove
Youth development coaching and being a bridge to the next generation
Racing and training in Colombia and Mexico, and why those scenes deserve a bigger platform
The financial and cultural barriers in cycling, and why both matter
Being Afro-Latino in a predominantly white sport
What it means to make the right friends in cycling, and why that advice could change someone's life
Life beyond two wheels: salsa classes, nostalgia, and planning a year two weeks at a time
Links:
Ama on Instagram: @amansek
Ama's intro on CCC: Introducing: Ama Nsek
Follow us: @cyclingcultureclub
More content at cyclingcultureclub.cc
Want more from our podcast? Listen to CCC Connections on all the major podcasting platforms or watch on YouTube.
Comments