Michael Woods is focusing on a grand slam of stage wins throughout Grand Excursions in 2024, with solely a stage victory on the Giro d’Italia lacking from the set. The Canadian climber added to his two Vuelta stage wins this summer season with a well-known Tour de France stage victory atop the Puy de Dôme in its first look on the race since 1988.
He’s determined to take one other crack in 2024 on the Giro d’Italia, the place he hasn’t raced since 2018 and narrowly missed out on a win to Tim Wellens on stage 4. If he achieves the feat he’ll be part of the membership of riders to win a stage in any respect three Grand Excursions, joined this previous season by Magnus Cort and Mads Pedersen.
Woods has prolonged with Israel-Premier Tech till 2025 and says he’ll retire with the Israeli staff when he’s now not competing with the perfect riders.
“It was an amazing season for me. Not my greatest from a consistency perspective, I believe 2021 was my greatest season from begin to end, however the very best results of my profession was this season, on the Tour de France, and it’s a consequence I’m actually happy with,” mentioned Woods in an interview along with his staff.
“I really feel like I nonetheless am bettering. There are nonetheless some issues that I’d like to attain as a rider. There are nonetheless some outcomes which might be lacking from my palmarès that I need to go after.
“Successful this previous 12 months on the Tour de France actually added some gasoline to the hearth, to the thrill of this season. I’ve by no means gained a stage on the Giro. I completed second at a stage in 2018, which was the final time I did the Giro, however I’ve gained two phases on the Vuelta, now with one on the Tour, I need to get a stage win on the Giro. So, it is an actual motivator.”
Woods described the stage 9 triumph as “the greatest results of my profession” and at 36 years previous proved he was removed from performed but with competing on the prime degree. Other than his Tour de France stage win, Woods additionally gained La Route d’Occitanie general, completed fourth at La Flèche Wallonne and got here sixth on the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
Having joined the WorldTour peloton late at 29 after accidents stunted his operating profession, Woods nonetheless believes he’s bettering and desires to fill within the outcomes lacking from his palmarès.
“One of many explanation why I prolonged with the staff was that I nonetheless felt like I had extra to provide. If I don’t really feel like I’m competing with the very best riders on the earth, then I don’t need to be racing anymore,” mentioned Woods.
“I believe life’s about pushing your self and exploring and doing new issues and attempting new issues and testing your self. And if I’m not doing that right here, then I need to transfer on.”
There was hypothesis in the direction of the tip of summer season that Woods was out of contract after three seasons with Israel-Premier Tech, however this was rapidly put to mattress because the Canadian confirmed to a number of sources that he had a confirmed contract.
Woods has revealed his retirement contract was agreed with the staff proprietor Sylvan Adams simply over a 12 months in the past, and he credited Adams for taking part in a large position in his profession since he turned professional in 2013.
“I’m actually fortunate to have Sylvan Adams in my nook. He is without doubt one of the primary explanation why I’m a professional bike owner. He together with Paulo Saldanha, my coach and in addition head of efficiency for the staff. Sylvan has backed me since 2013 and simply performed a large position in my profession,” mentioned Woods.
“Simply over a 12 months in the past we sat down to speak about extending and we principally simply made a deal that I’m going to retire with this staff. I’m going to retire when there’s no extra left to provide.
“Like I mentioned, I don’t need to be racing my bike if I’m not performing on the highest degree. I need to be enthusiastic about going to races and I’m proper now. So, we’re going to increase till I’m able to be performed.”
The Canadian recognised the privilege of getting a safe contract to shut out the ultimate years of his profession, however assured he wouldn’t get complacent with the starvation for outcomes simply as excessive as ever.
“It’s an incredible privilege to have that and know that I’m going to complete below my very own energy. Having been within the sport for eight years now, there’s an enormous turnover in riders and also you understand how most riders don’t have that luxurious. I understand how fortunate I’m to have that assist from Sylvan, that assist from the staff, however that being mentioned, yeah, it’s very nice but it surely’s additionally a bit scary,” mentioned Woods.
“Usually, a pleasant incentive is definitely being on a contract 12 months and needing to re-sign and being hungry. It virtually may very well be a little bit of a priority, like simply getting complacent, as a result of I don’t need to go after that subsequent contract, however that’s the rationale why I made this cope with Sylvan. That if I’m not hungry, I’m not going to maintain on going. And I’m nonetheless hungry so, I need to tackle this 12 months.”