Rider Profile
Michael Woods
Israel-Premier Tech
Personal Details:
Teams history:
- 2025 - Israel-Premier Tech
- 2024 - Israel-Premier Tech
- 2023 - Israel-Premier Tech
- 2022 - Israel-Premier Tech
- 2021 - Israel Start–Up Nation
- 2020 - EF Pro Cycling
- 2019 - EF Education First
- 2018 - EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
- 2017 - Cannondale-Drapac
- 2016 - Cannondale-Drapac
- 2015 - Canada
- 2014 - Canada
Biography:
Climbing star Michael Woods, born October 12, 1986 in Toronto, Canada, turned professional in 2013 at the age of 26 with a Continental team Quebec after making a switch from middle-distance running following a series of injuries.
He claimed his first major result with a stage 5 victory at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in 2015 with Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies, his fourth Continental team across four seasons. He called that uphill win in Salt Lake City one that “certainly changed my cycling career and my life”.
Woods then moved into the WorldTour the next year with the Slipstream team Cannondale, where he rode for the next five seasons. In 2016 he finished fifth overall at Santos Tour Down Under and second at Milano-Torino. He claimed his first GC top 10 placing in a Grand Tour with seventh in the 2017 Vuelta a España, finishing third on a mountaintop finish too Alto de Puig Llorença on stage 9.
In 2018, he clinched a second place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, third in the Road World Championships and his first-ever Grand Tour stage win, a summit finish in the Vuelta at the Balcon de Bizkaia. In 2019 he finished his first Tour de France, without much fanfare, and later scored a victory in the Italian autumn Classic Milano-Torino and was second at Giro dell’Emilia. The Canadian followed that in 2020 with a stage in Tirreno-Adriatico, another stage win in the Vuelta and third at La Flèche Wallonne.
In 2021, his first year with Israel Start-Up Nation, he enjoyed one of his best seasons yet, winning stages at the Tour du Var and Tour de Romandie. He also managed to find his way into the top five at La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of Britain and the Tokyo Olympics road race.
In 2022 he claimed his first-ever stage race overall, the Route d'Occitanie in France, and returned to defend his title the next season.
Crashes and injuries have marred three Tour de France performances, but in 2023 he broke onto the winner’s spot atop the mythical ascent to Puy de Dôme.
Key Results
2023
🥇 Stage win at Tour de France
🥇 One stage and GC at La Route d'Occitanie
🥈 CIC - Mont Ventoux
2022
🥇 One stage and GC at La Route d'Occitanie
🥇 One stage at Gran Camiño
🥈 Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes
🥈 GC, points classification and mountains classification at Gran Camiño
2021
🥇 One stage of Tour de Romandie
🥇 Mountains classification at Tour de Suisse
🥇 One stage at Tour des Alpes Maritimes
🥈 GC and points classification at Tour des Alpes Maritimes
🥉 Giro dell’Emilia
🥉 One stage at Tour de France
Fifth Olympic Games road race
2020
🥇 One stage at Vuelta a España
🥇 One stage of Tirreno-Adriatico
🥈 Two stages at Vuelta a España
🥉 La Flèche Wallonne
2019
🥇 Milano-Torino
🥈 Giro dell'Emilia
🥉 GC at Herald Sun Tour
2018
🥇 One stage at Vuelta a España
🥈 Liège - Bastogne - Liège
🥈 One stage at Giro d’Italia
🥉 World Championships road race
2017
🥈 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
🥉 One stage at Vuelta a España
2016
🥇 One stage at Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
🥈 Milano-Torino
🥈 One stage and GC at Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Related Articles
Woods upbeat despite narrow defeat in Vuelta a España transition stage
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Canadian out-pipped at line by Tim Wellens on stage 14
Vuelta España peloton stages brief protest over stage 10 time gap rules
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Chris Froome leads stage 11 protest, saying 'they changed the rule after the race'
Woods seizes second chance of Basque stage win glory in Vuelta a España
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Late solo attack nets EF Pro Cycling victories in all three 2020 Grand Tours
10 riders to watch at the 2020 Vuelta a España
By Daniel Benson published
Feature Primoz Roglic, Thibaut Pinot, Richard Carapaz to clash in final Grand Tour of 2020
10 riders to watch at the 2020 elite men's World Championships road race
By Daniel Benson and Ellis Bacon published
Feature Tour de France top two, Pogacar and Roglic, feature for Slovenia, while Van Aert leads Belgian charge
Michael Woods: I think I’ve got a shot at the Worlds podium
By Stephen Farrand published
News Canadian heads to Imola with optimism despite not riding Tour de France
Woods' win at Tirreno-Adriatico hints at form for World Championships
By Cyclingnews published
News 'I'll defend the leader's jersey as well as I can and hopefully attack even more' says Canadian climber
10 riders to watch at the 2020 Il Lombardia
By Ellis Bacon last updated
Feature Evenepoel, Van der Poel and Nibali feature among the favourites for this year's second Monument
Blogs
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Nathan Haas blog: Has the UCI done enough for gravel pros at the Gravel World Championships?
Sponsored gravel riders appear to be losing interest in the rainbow jersey battle -
Lauren De Crescenzo and her tough decision to miss UCI Gravel World Championships
In her own words, the gravel star explains the complex picture of the Gravel World Championships for the US team -
A proper women's race – Historic day in Emporia at Unbound Gravel
Extended gaps around women's start end with unprecedented sprint finish though 'it’s still imperfect, but it’s the best we can do for now' -
Road prep and adapting to new rules as Life Time Grand Prix begins at Fuego XL mountain bike event
Lauren De Crescenzo uses The Growler for confidence boost ride ahead of prestigious off-road series -
'Untapped gold' in store for inaugural RADL GRVL in South Australia
Nathan Haas calls gravel course 'raw, fast, exciting' after pre-ride with co-founder Valtteri Bottas