Michael Woods will lead Israel Start-up Nation at the Tour de France

Israel Start-up Nation has named Michael Woods as its team leader for the Tour de France, the squad announced on Monday.

Woods to lead the ISN team in the @LeTour @rusty_woods is the first rider named to our #TDF2021 lineup:

Mike: "I am looking forward to taking on the GC role. We will be a force to be reckoned with."

Full story:https://t.co/uqoduvRxjo#YallaISN#RacingForChange pic.twitter.com/h4j1vsnnrs

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@TeamIsraelSUN) June 14, 2021

Woods just came off a fine performance at the Tour de Suisse, where he won the mountains jersey while finishing fifth on GC.

In a press release, Rik Verbrugge, the team’s head sport director said, “I expect him to fight for stage wins and be there in the GC hunt as he did in the Tour de Suisse. The team’s primary focus will be to protect Woodsy and provide all the support he will need.”

Woods was stoked to be named to his second Tour de France and seventh Grand Tour: “I am really excited to represent Israel Start-Up Nation in the Tour de France, especially in a team leader role. I had an opportunity to lead a team in a Grand Tour, but never at the Tour de France. I am honored to be given this position, especially considering the quality of the team we have. My main goals and priorities are clear: stage wins first and try to go high on the general classification. We want to do well on the GC, no doubt, most important thing for me is the stage wins. That’s the main focus.”

The length of the time trials in the 108th Tour de France, 58 km over two stages, won’t be to Rusty’s advantage and will hinder any GC aspirations. Dan Martin, tenth in May’s Giro, is likely to be ISUN’s other stage hunter/GC fellow, but Woods will be the protected rider.

Woods has had two wins and led two stage races this season, in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var and the Tour de Romandie.

The Tour de France starts on June 26 in Brest.