Michael Woods to miss Giro due to broken hand

Canadian road sensation Michael Woods will miss the Giro d’Italia, his first Grand Tour, because of a broken hand suffered in the final 20-km of Liège-Bastogne-Liège last Sunday. Not surprisingly, Woods didn’t finish the race for Cannondale.

– @rusty_woods is sidelined w/ a broken hand; will miss the @giroditalia. #bummer https://t.co/GodVCETEBv pic.twitter.com/WxwxVvBm0B

— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) April 28, 2016

On Cannondale’s website, Woods said, “It’s the hand, but also my back is pretty bad, too.” The team said that his hand was broken in three places.

Woods was supposed to be part of the Cannondale contingent working for Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) at the Giro, where Uran has twice been the runner-up. The Giro begins in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands on May 6.

So far in his first WorldTour season, Woods was 5th in the Tour Down Under, 18th in the Volta a Catalunya and 12th in Fleche Wallonne.

Cannondale’s Tour de France plan calls for Pierre Rolland and Andrew Talansky to be the protected riders. Woods could play a role in the July squad. He commented, “Once they have a clearer picture as to what’s going on with the back I can set a clear timeline for getting back on the bike. If I was just dealing with a broken hand, it would be fine. It’s the back, too. Getting into bed is a five-minute ordeal. My wife’s been helping me get dressed. I feel like a four year old again.”