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Michael Woods moving to Cannondale-Garmin for 2016?

Michael Woods

On Wednesday, Jonathan Vaughters sent out a cryptic Twitter post that seems to indicate Canadian Michael Woods will ride for Cannondale-Garmin in 2016.

“What is oxidized, found in trees, runs like a Gazelle, and will be colored green in 2016? (Answer tomorrow),” the general manager of Slipstream Sports wrote. Woods has the Twitter handle of @rusty_woods as well as the blog Rusty Woods. The “oxidized” in Vaughters’ riddle points to the rust. “Found in trees” alludes to the rider’s surname. “Runs like a gazelle” could refer to Woods’ former career as an NCAA track and field runner for Michigan State University University of Michigan. Green is the colour of the Cannondale-Garmin WorldTour team.

Woods has had a strong year with Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies. In the spring, he won the Clássica Internacional Loulé Capital Europeia do Desporto in Portugal. He was second at the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic. Then, at this year’s Tour de Beauce as he targeted the Lac-Mégantic stage, he was involved in a crash that left him bloodied. On Aug. 7, Woods won the Salt Lake City circuit stage of the Tour of Utah, and would go on to finish second overall in the race. Currently, he’s second overall in the UCI America Tour. If Woods goes to Cannondale-Garmin, he will double the team’s CanCon as Ryder Hesjedal will no longer be the squad’s only Canuck.

Recently, Cannondale-Garmin announced new signings and re-signing for next year. Tom-Jelte Slagter and Dylan Van Baarle will be back. Wouter Wippert of the Netherlands, who raced with Drapac for the past two years, is a new signing. New Zealander Patrick Bevin has joined the green argyle team for two years, as has Ryan Mullen. Vaughters has called Mullen one of the best up-and-coming time trial talents.

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