Michael Woods (cyclist)

Canadian cyclist

Michael Woods

Woods at the 2015 Tour of Alberta

Personal information
Full name| Michael Russell Woods[1]
Nickname| Woodsy, Rusty[1]
Born|  (1986-10-12) 12 October 1986 (age 37)
East York, Ontario, Canada
Height| 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight| 64 kg (141 lb)[2]
Team information
Current team| Israel–Premier Tech
Discipline| Road
Role| Rider
Rider type| Climber
Amateur team
2012| Stevens Racing[3]
Professional teams
2013| Team Québecor Garneau[4]
2014| Amore & Vita–Selle SMP[4]
2014| 5-hour Energy[4]
2015| Optum–Kelly Benefit Strategies
2016–2020| Cannondale[5][6]
2021–| Israel Start-Up Nation
Major wins
Grand Tours

Tour de France

1 individual stage (2023)
Vuelta a España

2 individual stages (2018, 2020)

One-Day Races and Classics

Milano–Torino (2019)

Medal record

Representing  Canada
Men's road bicycle racing
World Championships
| 2018 Innsbruck | Road race

Michael Russell Woods (born 12 October 1986) is a Canadian professional racing cyclist, who rides for UCI WorldTeam Israel–Premier Tech. An accomplished runner as well, Woods was the first person who has run a sub-four-minute mile to complete the Tour de France.[7][8][9][10]

## Career[edit]

### Athletics career[edit]

Woods' first sport was ice hockey and his childhood ambition was to play as a left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.[2] 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.[3] 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.[3][11] 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.[3]

Woods was taught English at school by Paul Dewar, who was later elected as a Member of Parliament.[2] Woods attended the University of Michigan on a track athletic scholarship, graduating in 2008.[3] While at Michigan, he was coached by Ron Warhurst.[12]

Personal bests[13] Outdoor Track  | Discipline  | Performance  | Place  | Date  | Records  | Results Score

|
|
|
|
|

800 Metres  | 1:52.95  | Ann Arbor, MI (USA)  | 05 MAY 2007  |  | 944
1500 Metres  | 3:39.37  | Cuxhaven (GER)  | 07 JUL 2006  |  | 1115
One Mile  | 3:57.48  | Windsor (CAN)  | 28 JUL 2005  |  | 1106
3000 Metres  | 7:58.04  | Ottawa (CAN)  | 29 JUN 2005  | NU20R  | 1067
5000 Metres  | 14:14.18  | University Park, PA (USA)  | 13 MAY 2007  |  | 953

Indoor Track

Discipline  | Performance  | Place  | Date  | Records  | Results Score

|
|
|
|
|

800 Metres  | 1:51.22  | University Park, PA (USA)  | 11 FEB 2006  |  | 1045
1500 Metres  | 3:55.71  | Montréal (CAN)  | 24 JAN 2004  |  | 948
One Mile  | 3:57.87  | Boston, MA (USA)  | 28 JAN 2006  |  | 1157
3000 Metres  | 7:58.55  | Ann Arbor, MI (USA)  | 21 JAN 2006  |  | 1087
3000 Metres  | 7:52.27 *  | South Bend, IN (USA)  | 04 FEB 2006  |  | 0

Legend = * Not legal.

### Cycling career[edit]

Woods began cycling professionally with Team Québecor Garneau in 2013.[14]

On 20 August 2015 it was announced that Woods would join Cannondale for the 2016 cycling season.[15]

In 2016, Woods was officially named in Canada's 2016 Olympic team.[16] Woods was also named in the start list for the 2017 Giro d'Italia.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19]

In 2018, Woods scored what he described as "the best result of my career" by finishing second in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège race.[20] In September 2018, Woods won Stage 17 of the Vuelta a España, which finished up a steep climb to Balcón de Bizkaia.[21][22] 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.[23][24]

In July 2019, he was named in the startlist for the 2019 Tour de France.[25] In October 2019 he won the oldest classic race, the 100th edition of Milano–Torino.[26] In August 2020, it was announced that Woods was to join Israel Start-Up Nation from the 2021 season, on a three-year contract.[8] He represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics and finished in fifth place in the men's individual road race.[9]

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[edit]

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
2024
4th Classic Var
10th Overall Tour des Alpes-Maritimes

### General classification results timeline[edit]

Grand Tour general classification results

Grand Tour | 2016  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021  | 2022  | 2023  | 2024
Giro d'Italia | —  | 38 | 19 | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | DNF
Tour de France | —  | —  | —  | 32 | —  | DNF | DNF | 48 |
Vuelta a España | —  | 7 | 34 | —  | 34 | —  | DNF | —  |
Major stage race general classification results
Race  | 2016  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021  | 2022  | 2023  | 2024
Paris–Nice | —  | 54 | —  | —  | DNF | —  | —  | —  | —
Tirreno–Adriatico | —  | —  | —  | —  | 8 | —  | —  | 20 | —
Volta a Catalunya | 18 | 37 | 79 | 6 | NH  | 11 | DNF | 6 | 62
Tour of the Basque Country | 53 | 12 | 29 | —  | DNF | 13 | —  | —
Tour de Romandie | —  | —  | —  | 10 | 5 | 17 | DNF | —
Critérium du Dauphiné | —  | —  | —  | DNF | —  | —  | —  | —  |
Tour de Suisse | —  | 26 | —  | —  | NH  | 5 | —  | —  |

### Classics results timeline[edit]

Monument  | 2016  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021  | 2022  | 2023  | 2024

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Milan–San Remo | —  | —  | —  | —  | 65 | —  | —  | —  | —
Tour of Flanders | Has not contested during his career
Paris–Roubaix
Liège–Bastogne–Liège | —  | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 12 | —
Giro di Lombardia | 31 | —  | 13 | 5 | 29 | 9 | DNF | 12 |
Classic  | 2016  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021  | 2022  | 2023  | 2024
Amstel Gold Race | —  | —  | 20 | 68 | NH  | 32 | —  | DNF | —
La Flèche Wallonne | 12 | 11 | 33 | 55 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | —
Clásica de San Sebastián | 61 | —  | —  | 9 | NH  | —  | —  | —  |
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | 27 | —  | —  | 17 | Not held  | —  | 49 |
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | 30 | —  | —  | 8 | —  | 15 |
Milano–Torino | 2 | —  | —  | 1 | —  | 5 | —  | —  | —
Giro dell'Emilia | 19 | —  | 4 | 2 | —  | 3 | DNF | 5 |
Tre Valli Varesine | 40 | —  | 4 | DNF | —  | —  | DNF | 7 |
Legend  —  | Did not compete

|

DNF  | Did not finish
IP  | In progress
NH  | Not held

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b McMahon, Daniel (25 May 2017). "A sub-4-minute miler at age 18, Rusty Woods is now lighting up pro cycling at age 30". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
2. ^ a b c Woods, Michael (13 October 2015). "Michael Woods: Letting the ink dry". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
3. ^ a b c d e Holder, Gord (28 August 2013). "Profile: Ottawa's Mike Woods' journey from runner to racing in the Tour of Alberta". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
4. ^ a b c Michael Woods at Cycling Archives
5. ^ "EF Education First Pro Cycling". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
6. ^ Bacon, Ellis (1 January 2020). "2020 Team Preview: EF Education First". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
7. ^ "Israel Start-Up Nation". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
8. ^ a b "Top Canadian cyclist to join Israeli Tour de France team". The Times of Israel. The Times of Israel Ltd. Agence France-Presse. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
9. ^ a b "Mike Woods". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. 29 June 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
10. ^ Kelly, Madeleine (29 July 2019). "Mike Woods becomes first person to run sub-4 mile and finish the Tour de France". Canadian Running Magazine. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
11. ^ Malach, Pat (3 March 2015). "Michael Woods: Turning running heartbreak into cycling success". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
12. ^ Woods, Michael (1 January 2016). "Michael Woods: Alone on a mountain top". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
13. ^ "Michael WOODS | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
14. ^ "Canadian cyclist Michael Woods among top 10 at Vuelta". Retrieved 4 September 2017.
15. ^ "Cannondale-Garmin announces Mike Woods, former runner-turned-pro-cyclist, to join team in 2016". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
16. ^ Tozer, Jamie (29 June 2016). "Returning Olympians highlight Canada's cycling team". www.olympic.ca. Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
17. ^ "2017: 100th Giro d'Italia: Start List". Pro Cycling Stats. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
18. ^ "A sub-4-minute miler at age 18, Rusty Woods is now lighting up pro cycling at age 30". Business Insider. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
19. ^ "Michael Woods". www.procyclingstats.com.
20. ^ Ryan, Barry (22 April 2018). "Jungels wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
21. ^ "Vuelta a Espana 2018: Simon Yates maintains overall classification lead". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
22. ^ "Michael Woods: How personal tragedy inspired Canadian cyclist's greatest success". BBC Sport. 19 June 2019.
23. ^ "Mike Woods achieves rare Canadian cycling feat at road race worlds". CBC Sports. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
24. ^ Sturney, Rob (30 September 2018). "Rusty Woods bronze, Valverde gold in thrilling finale to Innsbruck 2018". Canadian Cycling Magazine. Gripped Publishing Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2021. "It's Canada's first medal in the elite men's road race since Steve Bauer's bronze in Barcelona in 1984."
25. ^ "2019: 106th Tour de France: Start List". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
26. ^ "Woods wins Milano-Torino". cyclingnews.com. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.

## External links[edit]

* Official website
* Michael Woods at World Athletics
* Michael Woods at UCI
* Michael Woods at Cycling Archives
* Michael Woods at ProCyclingStats
* Michael Woods at Cycling Quotient

* v
* t
* e

Riders on Israel–Premier Tech

* Pascal Ackermann
* George Bennett
* Joseph Blackmore
* Guillaume Boivin
* Simon Clarke
* Itamar Einhorn
* Marco Frigo
* Chris Froome
* Jakob Fuglsang
* Derek Gee
* Hugo Hofstetter
* Mason Hollyman
* Hugo Houle
* Oded Kogut
* Krists Neilands
* Riley Pickrell
* Nadav Raisberg
* Matthew Riccitello
* Guy Sagiv
* Nick Schultz
* Michael Schwarzmann
* Riley Sheehan
* Jake Stewart
* Corbin Strong
* Dylan Teuns
* Tom Van Asbroeck
* Ethan Vernon
* Stephen Williams
* Michael Woods
* Mads Würtz Schmidt
* Manager: Kjell Carlström

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* World Athletics

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