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Michael Woods runner-up in Gran Premio Miguel Indurain

Giro-bound Woods matches his best result as a Cannondale rider

April 1, 2017
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Canadian Michael Woods tied his best career result as a member of a WorldTour team on Saturday, coming runner-up to solo winner Simon Yates in the UCI 1.1-rated Gran Premio Miguel Indurain in Estella, Spain. Woods was also second last year in Milano-Torino. As a member of Optum, Woods triumphed in Stage 5 of the 2015 Larry Miller Tour of Utah.
https://twitter.com/wcstats/status/848196840294141953
The riders had 186-km to race, with three categorized climbs in the final 75-km.


An early breakaway was snuffed out but an eight-man move formed midway through the race. Orica-Scott’s Czech Roman Kreuziger was the big name in the escape. The fugitives made it over the race’s only Cat. 1 climb, but Movistar brought them back with 50-km to go.

On the next climb, Cat. 2 Lezaun, Movistar’s Ruben Fernandez attacked, making Sky chase and streamline the peloton to about 30-riders.


Then Yates made his move, with at first only Movistar’s Gorka Izagirre marking it, before Woods and a handful of others muscled over. This new breakaway of nine contained three Orica riders. Behind, Caja Rural chased in vain.

The last climb, Cat. 2 Eraul, peaked 10-km from the finish. Near its crest, Yates put in another surge. Movistar’s rising star Marc Soler tried to grab him but couldn’t find cooperation in Sergio Henao (Sky). Thus Yates stayed clear.

There were two more kick ups for the riders, including one to the line, 900-metres with ramps up to 15%. There, Woods powered away from the chasers, finishing just ahead of Heano to take a fine result with the Giro d’Italia five weeks away. Yates won by a 23-seconds, his second victory of the season. Yates and his twin Adam will also be contesting the Giro.

2017 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
1) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Orica-Scott) 4:34:01
2) Michael Woods (Canada/Cannondale-Drapac) +0:23
3) Sergio Henao (Colombia/Sky) s.t.