Michael Woods (cyclist)

Michael Russell Woods (born 12 October 1986) is a Canadian professional racing cyclist, who rides for UCI ProTeam. An accomplished runner as well, Woods was the first person who has run a sub-four-minute mile to complete the Tour de France.

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 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 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 Jersey red.svg 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 Bronze medal uci.svg 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 Jersey red.svg Mountains classification
 * 5th Overall Tour of Britain
 * 5th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
 * 5th Milano–Torino
 * 9th Giro di Lombardia
 * Tour de France
 * Held Jersey polkadot.svg after Stage 14


 * 2022 (3)
 * 1st Jersey orange.svg 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 Jersey orange.svg 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 (1)
 * 1st MaillotCan.PNG Road race, National Road Championships
 * 4th Classic Var
 * 10th Overall Tour des Alpes-Maritimes