Cyclist Michael Woods targets Montreal win after pondering retirement, Vuelta triumph

Michael Woods thought Father Time had finally come calling.

Instead, he's winning Grand Tour stages, and hungry for a big result at home.

The 37-year-old from Ottawa rides into this weekend's Montreal cycling Grand Prix as a recent Spanish Vuelta stage winner despite dealing with an early-season illness that had him struggling at the Giro d'Italia and considering calling it quits.

"I thought I was just getting old, and that's why I wasn't going as well at the races," Woods said. "It really held me back and made me contemplate retiring, until I found out actually what was going on."

Woods withdrew from the Giro in May after a crash left him with mild concussion symptoms. Further testing revealed he had been battling Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial stomach infection his team believes he contracted during training camp in South Africa.

After months of re-finding his stamina, Woods, who became the third Canadian to win a Tour de France stage last year, triumphed on the mountainous 13th stage of La Vuelta on Aug. 30. It was his third career win in Spain.

The world-class climber ranked this Vuelta win among his biggest career achievements, given the circumstances.

"To be in a position where I was really considering quitting, and then to finally get back into form and work my way all the way back up to the top of the sport was really a great feeling," said Woods, who finished 41st in the road race at last month's Paris Olympics. "Something that I'm really proud of."

Late addition to Montreal start list

With a stage win in hand, Woods pulled out of the Vuelta before the 17th stage and shifted his focus to preparing for Montreal as a late addition to the start list.

The race is set for Sunday, while Quebec City's event takes place Friday. The two races are the only North American events on the UCI World Tour.

Quebec's course features 16 laps totalling 201.6 kilometres and 2,976 metres in altitude, and is well-suited to puncheurs.

Meanwhile, Montreal's race covers 209.1 kilometres over 17 laps. The challenging course in and around Mount Royal includes 4,573 metres in total altitude, making it ideal for climbers like Woods.

"Once I was able to get the stage win, the team knew I was moving well, I was moving well, and Montreal has definitely been a huge goal of mine in my career, having a good result there," said Woods, whose best finish in Montreal is eighth.

"I just thought I'd like to take a stab at it, and the team was keen on it."

Woods, who will only race in Montreal, joins fellow Canadians Derek Gee of Ottawa, Hugo Houle of Sainte-Perpetue, Que., and Guillaume Boivin of Montreal in the peloton. All four cyclists ride for Israel-Premier Tech.

But they'll face stiff competition from three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, racing for the first time since claiming this year's Grand Tour title.

Gee expects more from this year's Montreal race

"Best rider in the world, it's gonna be a very hard race from very far out," Gee said. "He's going to be the overwhelming favourite."

Gee placed 105th in Quebec and 47th in Montreal last year, but he expects more from himself this year after surprising the cycling world this season. He finished third at the Criterium du Dauphine in June and ninth at the Tour de France in July.

"I don't know how my form will be in the second half of the year, but I'm really looking forward to finding out," said Gee, who was 44th in the Paris Olympic road race. "The home crowds always give a big boost in performance."

Houle, who prefers the Quebec City race, is also hoping for better than in recent years. The 2022 Tour de France stage winner has three DNFs and one 50th finish in Quebec the last two years.

"I remain focused after the Tour de France to try to keep a good form, and to give a good race at home," he said. "The last few years, I was not so good. So I wish … that I can be better."

The events bring Canadian cycling fans one year closer to the Montreal UCI Road World Championships in 2026, a target for the 33-year-old Houle after signing a contract extension through that year.

As for Woods, he said he's likely to retire when his contract runs out at the end of 2025. But if he can keep defying his age and winning stages, an additional year isn't off the table.

"If I'm racing as well as I'm racing now, I could consider doing 2026, because it would be so special to race in Montreal," he said.