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Michael Woods worked on his weaknesses with eye on big 2018

Woods trying to round into more complete rider ahead of Giro d'Italia

January 29, 2018
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A pre-season training ride in Girona went overtime for Michael Woods and his EF Education First-Drapac teammates but that wasn’t a problem. Covering 207 km over six hours the team smashed each other sprinting through the rolling hills of the Catalan countryside. After a breakout performance at the 2017 Vuelta a España, Woods is gearing up for a big 2018 during which he will target the Giro d’Italia with La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège also highlighted.

“We finish every ride with laughs and have been smiling all week,” Woods said about the mood at the team’s pre-season training camp. “I’ve got so many good friends on the team and it’s such a good atmosphere with the crew assembled by JV [Jonathan Vaughters].”

After starting his season the past two years at the Tour Down Under, a later start date for 2018 meant Woods was able to take it a little bit easier over the winter and focus on making improvements that will round him into a better all-around rider. The pressure to prove himself has also eased with the confidence and backing of his team not to mention a contract that expires at the end of 2019.

“Obviously my results last year were great and I was really pleased with them. I feel really confident, the team has expressed their belief in me and that’s the beauty of where I am at in my career,” he explained.

Woods has proven himself as an explosive climber and capable Grand Tour contender. Highlights from 2017 included third on Stage 9 of the Vuelta on route to finished seventh overall, second at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain and ninth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In order to take the next step in 2018, it was time to take a closer look at his shortcomings.

“I spent a lot of time with my coach Paulo Saldanha focusing on my time trial ability and pacing, my weakest attributes as a rider,” Woods said. “He would have me seated on a bike doing intervals blind not looking at a power meter. I would have to guess. The results are that I now have a better feel for pacing and more power in a seated position.”

While the off-season is the time to make improvements, it’s also a time to unwind and relax after a big season. Woods accumulated 84 days of racing in 2017 but it wasn’t enough for him to take a chunk of time completely off riding. Instead, Woods mixed things up with mountain biking and enjoy cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park.

The off-season is also the time to reconnect with good friends. “I often neglect all my friends during the season, unfortunately, part of being a bike racer from Canada is spending a lot of time away from home,’ he said. “So I got to spend time with many great friends, my wife and family members who I don’t get to see.”

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Woods also took some time to start laying the groundwork for life after pro cycling. “I want to be doing this for the next five to eight years but having ruined one sports career through running I am always worried it could all come crashing down,” Woods said about a promising collegiate running career that ended because of injury. Woods helped found the Movement Co. in Ottawa which offers athletic therapy, strength and conditioning,  bike fits and chiropractic assessments. It’s a small part of Woods efforts to prepare for life after cycling.

Recharged, with a new enterprise running and armed with new training under his belt, Woods hopes to arrive at the explosive climbs he’s made his name on fresher and fitter in 2018.