Michael Woods had always dreamed of racing through the streets of Montreal, a city pivotal to the start of his professional cycling journey, as the ideal conclusion to his career. However, a debilitating hernia took that moment away from him.
At least, that was what he believed.
One year after the injury abruptly halted his plans just weeks before his farewell at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, the Tour de France stage winner is returning to the bike.
Cycling Canada revealed last month that Woods, 39, would emerge from retirement to compete for the national team at the forthcoming road cycling world championships in Montreal.
“If the world championships were held anywhere other than Montreal, I wouldn’t be participating,” Woods stated. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance… it holds immense significance for me, and thus, I had to seize this opportunity.”
“But this will definitely be my last one. Without a doubt, it’s the final one.”
The Ottawa native, who now lives in Andorra and Chelsea, Quebec, is also set to participate in this weekend’s Grand Prix Cycliste events in Quebec City and Montreal as preparation for the UCI World Tour’s premier race on September 27.
This is a scenario Woods could hardly have anticipated when he left the sport feeling battered and disheartened approximately a year ago.
“I felt almost disillusioned with the sport by the time I declared my retirement. It had turned into just a job,” Woods shared during a phone interview last month, reflecting on his time with the now-rebranded Israel-Premier Tech. “I wasn’t recovering effectively; my performance wasn’t meeting my expectations. Last year, particularly with the hernia, I definitely didn’t conclude my career on a positive note.”
“It left a sour taste, and I was unsatisfied with how I ended.”
Michael Woods, the first athlete to both run a sub-four-minute mile and complete the Tour de France, announced Monday that this will be his final season after more than a decade of success in cycling.
Bucket-list races reignited passion for racing
In the months that followed, Woods took time to reflect on his past decisions and the path he had chosen, eventually participating in a series of bucket-list races that rekindled his love for competition.
Instead of enduring another grueling professional road cycling season, Woods explored gravel biking, mountain biking, and ski mountaineering (skimo), embracing grassroots events over the competitive UCI World Tour.
He notably raced in the French Alps at Pierra Menta, recognized as the skimo Tour de France, as well as in the prestigious Leadville Trail mountain bike race in Colorado and Levi’s GranFondo in California.
“I now realize how fortunate I was to be engaged in what I did over the past decade,” he remarked. “I feel incredibly lucky and even more passionate, and I have a deeper love for the sport than I have experienced in years.”
This new schedule also allowed Woods to maintain his fitness for the upcoming challenges. The thought of racing at the Montreal world championships began to take shape around March or April, and a reassuring seventh-place finish at the Canadian national road race in June bolstered his confidence to attempt it.
Woods acknowledged feeling apprehensive about his return, considering the demanding nature of each event, even by professional cycling standards.
“These are three of the toughest races on the World Tour calendar,” he stated. “I could end up getting completely overwhelmed and look back and think that this was a terrible idea.”
However, the chance to experience his long-desired full-circle moment was too compelling to resist.
A skilled middle-distance runner — he holds the distinction of being the first individual to run a sub-four-minute mile and finish the Tour de France — Woods transitioned to cycling in 2012 after persistent stress fractures in his left foot curtailed his running career.
Ottawa’s Mike Woods started cycling after injuries put an end to his track and field career — and now he’s making waves on the elite cycling circuit.
Signed first pro deal in 2013
Woods remembers beginning his racing journey with Tuesday night criteriums at “Les Mardis cyclistes” in Montreal’s Lachine area, alongside his longtime coach Paulo Saldanha, who would follow him on a moped countless times up and down Mount Royal.
In 2013, Woods secured his first professional deal with Garneau-Quebecor, and the following year, he finished with the leading group at the Montreal stage of the World Tour.
This performance, which the climbing specialist credits for launching his career, has since led to a Tour de France stage win in 2023 and three stage victories at the Spanish Vuelta (2018, 2020, and 2024).
A decade after that pivotal moment, a massive mural along the world championships route honors his latest Vuelta achievement, though it has sparked some local debate.
The original mural, commissioned by building owner and former Israel-Premier Tech co-owner Sylvan Adams last year, featured former teammate Hugo Houle and his 2022 Tour de France stage victory, marking the first win by a Quebec-born rider.
However, after Houle departed Adams’s team in December, the artwork was altered to celebrate Woods, who chose not to comment when asked about the mural change.
Instead, his focus remains on cherishing the Montreal homecoming he once believed was unattainable.
As for his plans after the world championships, Woods is uncertain. A return to professional road cycling is not on the table, but he insists that his racing days are far from over.
“I love to compete; I love riding my bike,” he expressed. “I will continue to ride for the rest of my life; I will run and participate in trail races and other events indefinitely, I am certain of that.”
“I simply love it.”
The UCI Road World Championships run from Sept. 20 to 27 and will span 36 kilometres of road network, with the most significant impact being Parc Avenue, between des Pins and Mont-Royal avenues. That stretch will be closed for a month, starting Sept. 4.