Connor O'Leary

Professional Cyclist, Cancer Survivor, Adventurer, and Amazing Race-winner, Connor O’Leary lives to beat the odds. Having raced around the world and beaten cancer by the age of 20, Connor has faced many challenges on his hard road to victory. Sharing his difficulties, successes, and unwavering persistence, Connor inspires audiences with his vibrant and vivacious love for life. Connor started racing in his early teens, making his way up the ranks to become one of the fiercest pro cyclists in the world. However, three days after his 19th birthday, his life did a complete 180: Connor had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. His struggles continued during treatment when he was struck with a pulmonary embolism that exploded in his lungs and heart.

His perspective on life changed during treatment. “When I went into the ER one day, and the doctor told me that I should have died,” he says. “From that point, it hasn’t been ‘man, I want to do this’ or ‘I want to do this in two years.’ It’s ‘I want to do this now.’”

Connor took the doctor’s words as a challenge. A year and a half later, he returned to the top of the sport, racing professionally for the USA National Team, as well as Bontrager Professional Cycling.

At age 22, Connor became the youngest winner in Amazing Race history, traveling over 23,000 miles through 22 cities and nine countries with his father as his partner. In 2015, he attempted to set a world record by racing 2,745 miles across the Continental Divide in under 16 days.

“We all have so much untapped potential, and I hope that at the end of the day this might inspire people to push their own limits, whatever those limits are,” says Connor.

A Travelocity Travel Ambassador, Connor has based his life on crossing borders and breaking boundaries. His website, The O’Leary Theory, continues to document his adventures and inspire the world in the process. Connor graduated from the University of Utah and is the Chief Mission Officer of the Testicular Cancer Foundation. In 2017, Connor launched his Wanaka Packable Daypack on Kickstarter, a project he began while undergoing treatment. The Daypack system is multipurpose, thoroughly tested outdoor gear designed to withstand all of the elements.

Connor O’Leary has been to the edge and back, and he’s ready to take you there.