Michael Woods (cyclist)

Michael Woods (cyclist)
Michael Russell Woods (born 12 October 1986) is a Canadian professional racing cyclist, who rides for UCI WorldTeam . An accomplished runner as well, Woods was the first person who has run a sub-four-minute mile to complete the Tour de France.
Career
Athletics career
Woods' first sport was ice hockey and his childhood ambition was to play as a left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to becoming a cyclist, Woods was a promising middle-distance runner, setting Canadian national junior records in the mile and 3000 metres in 2005, as well as taking the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 2005 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. However, he suffered a recurring stress fracture in his left foot, exacerbated by excessive training and racing, resulting in his running his last race in 2007. Woods underwent surgery twice in order to correct the problem without success. He took up cycling initially as cross-training before friends persuaded him to enter races.
Woods was taught English at school by Paul Dewar, who was later elected as a Member of Parliament. Woods attended the University of Michigan on a track athletic scholarship, graduating in 2008. While at Michigan, he was coached by Ron Warhurst.
Cycling career
Woods began cycling professionally with in 2013.
On 20 August 2015 it was announced that Woods would join for the 2016 cycling season.
In 2016, Woods was officially named in Canada's 2016 Olympic team. Woods was also named in the start list for the 2017 Giro d'Italia. He finished the 2017 Giro, his first grand tour, in 38th place, taking two fifth-place stage finishes along the way and helping teammate Pierre Rolland to win a stage. Woods was later named in the start list for the 2017 Vuelta a España where he finished his second Grand Tour in 7th place, taking one third-place finish and five top-tens.
In 2018, Woods scored what he described as "the best result of my career" by finishing second in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège race. In September 2018, Woods won Stage 17 of the Vuelta a España, which finished up a steep climb to Balcón de Bizkaia. On 30 September, Woods finished third in the road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the first medal for Canada at the World Championships since Svein Tuft's silver medal in the time trial in 2008, and their first medal in the road race since Steve Bauer's bronze-medal performance in 1984.
In July 2019, he was named in the startlist for the 2019 Tour de France. In October 2019 he won the oldest classic race, the 100th edition of Milano–Torino. In August 2020, it was announced that Woods was to join from the 2021 season, on a three-year contract. He represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics and finished in fifth place in the men's individual road race.
In 2023, Woods won stage 9 of the Tour de France with a spectacular climb on the Puy de Dôme, making up over 1 minute in the last few kilometres to win the race.
Major results
2013
9th Overall Tour de Beauce
2014
4th Road race, National Road Championships
6th Overall Tour de Beauce
2015 (1 pro win)
1st Clássica Loulé
2nd Overall Tour of Utah
1st Stage 5
2nd Philadelphia International Cycling Classic
4th Overall Tour of the Gila
1st Stage 5
10th Overall Tour of Alberta
1st Canadian rider classification
2016
2nd Milano–Torino
5th Overall Tour Down Under
2017
2nd GP Miguel Induráin
7th Overall Vuelta a España
9th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
2018 (1)
1st Stage 17 Vuelta a España
2nd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
3rd Road race, UCI Road World Championships
4th Giro dell'Emilia
4th Tre Valli Varesine
9th Overall Tour of Utah
2019 (2)
1st Milano–Torino
2nd Giro dell'Emilia
2nd Japan Cup
3rd Overall Herald Sun Tour
1st Stage 2
5th Giro di Lombardia
5th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
6th Overall Volta a Catalunya
7th Overall Tour Down Under
8th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
9th Clásica de San Sebastián
10th Overall Tour de Romandie
2020 (2)
1st Stage 7 Vuelta a España
3rd La Flèche Wallonne
7th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
8th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
1st Stage 3
2021 (2)
2nd Overall Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var
1st Stage 2
3rd Giro dell'Emilia
4th La Flèche Wallonne
5th Road race, Olympic Games
5th Overall Tour de Romandie
1st Stage 4
5th Overall Tour de Suisse
1st Mountains classification
5th Overall Tour of Britain
5th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
5th Milano–Torino
9th Giro di Lombardia
Tour de France
Held after Stage 14
2022 (3)
1st Overall Route d'Occitanie
1st Stage 3
2nd Overall O Gran Camiño
1st Stage 2
2nd Mercan'Tour Classic
6th La Flèche Wallonne
10th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
2023 (3)
1st Overall Route d'Occitanie
1st Stage 3
1st Stage 9 Tour de France
2nd Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge
4th La Flèche Wallonne
5th Giro dell'Emilia
6th Overall Volta a Catalunya
7th Tre Valli Varesine
General classification results timeline
Classics results timeline
References
External links
1986 births
Living people
Canadian male cyclists
Canadian Tour de France stage winners
Canadian Vuelta a España stage winners
Cyclists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Cyclists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
People from East York, Toronto
Sportspeople from Toronto
Sportspeople from Ottawa
Michigan Wolverines men's track and field athletes
Olympic cyclists for Canada
Hillcrest High School (Ottawa) alumni
20th-century Canadian people
21st-century Canadian people
Cyclists from Ontario