The 21-year-old spent three weeks in the US last month competing as part of the MitoQ NZ Cycling Project team after signing for them in late 2023.
His third place finish came in the Mass Ave Crit race in Indianapolis.
Wilson said racing internationally was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
"I landed in the US on Wednesday morning and was racing Friday night.
"It was my first ever international race, so I was pretty nervous but I managed to get on the podium.
"It was interesting because the race was like nothing I’d ever done.
"Even just like the atmosphere, just hundreds of people in the middle of downtown Indianapolis lining the streets.
"It was pretty surreal, to be honest."
He said international racing was a huge learning experience for him.
"Because of the type of racing it is, the races are only 75 minutes long so they’re super intense.
"There’s not really one moment where you’re not going as hard as you can.
"I think that was probably one of the biggest learning curves for me, just being at full concentration while my heart rate’s 180 to 200 beats per minute for 75 minutes.
"You’re trying to take corners at 50-60kmh with 80 guys around you, all while trying to make sure you don’t crash.
"There’s nothing like it. Every day there would be hundreds of people out watching us race our bikes."
He also competed in the Chicago Grit 10-day criterium race series.
"I had a week break and then it was 10 days of back-to-back crit [criterium] races in Chicago.
"Some of them are pretty technical, lots of corners, and some of them are just like four corner rectangles.
"We have a few crits here in New Zealand, but nothing compared to that."
Wilson said he was proud of his team’s performances abroad.
"It’s the biggest form of cycling in the US. A lot of guys over there make a living out of it. It’s hugely attended.
"I didn’t really have any notable results in that 10-day series, but I was more sort of there to help my team-mates out.
"We managed to achieve four or five podiums, we won one of the days and my team-mate got fourth overall.
"It was super cool."
Wilson said his American adventure reaffirmed his passion to keep pushing to make it at the sport’s top level.
"It’s definitely solidified that that’s what I want to do, the first few days I was struggling a little bit, trying to learn the ropes.
"Even after the 10 days there’s still so much I need to learn.
"It’s definitely highlighted a few things that I need to work on but I’m probably even more excited now to work on those things to go back next year for a full three months and try get some results.
"The podium was nice but it wasn’t in a pro race, it was a step down from the top pro race.
"Saturday was a pro race and the other 10 days I did were all pro races. For the podium, it was like, that’s good but it wasn’t what I was there for. I was there to race pro races."
Wilson said he still had a busy year ahead of him.
"I’ve got a two-day tour in Timaru next weekend and then to finish the winter season I’ll have the Twizel to Timaru race and that’s probably the race that I’m targeting, it’s the biggest race around now in the local area.
"There’s also the Tour of Southland at the start of November, that’s another one that I’m targeting with the team, then it’ll just be training and nationals at the start of next year.
"Hopefully after that I’ll go over to America again for three months."
He said he could not believe the position he was now in when it came to the sport.
"A couple of years ago I thought it might never happen, but I just kept trying and it did.
"I never really gave up and just kept trying new things until I found what works for me.
"Now I’ve done a month of professional racing in America, it’s sort of a once in a lifetime opportunity but I hope that next year I get to do even more."
He said he was thankful to McDermid Auto Collective who had recently come on as a personal sponsor.
"I have a bit more freedom to not have to do stuff the cheap way.
"Really dialling in with my nutritionist has probably been what’s levelled me up.
"Having that financial backing and support has meant I can really focus on the nutrition and make sure I’m nailing everything that I need to smash the training, the racing and everything else."
