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Michael Woods second in Milan-Torino to Angel Lopez

Best result for the Canadian this season

Michael Woods
September 28, 2016
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Canadian Michael Woods placed runner-up in Wednesday’s 97th Milan-Torino, a UCI 1-HC rated race in Northern Italy. Angel “Superman” Lopez (Colombia/Astana) took the spoils on a tough finish after a spirited battle with the Canadian.

Woods actually led on the second and final passage of the Superga climb (4.9-km of 9.1%) until Lopez reeled him in, the two skirmishing as they clambered.

The course was a flat one until the two hauls up to the basilica in Torino.


A three man break pushed off early in the day and had a maximum of 11:00 over the peloton. With 64-km to go the advantage was still 8:00. By the first climb of Superga with 24-km to go, Tinkoff and Movistar had clipped the lead to 1:40.

Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain/Sky) left his breakmates behind on the first ascent but was brought back by the greatly streamlined peloton on the flat between the climbs. Woods and Lopez were in an 11-man group that separated itself on the lower slopes of the Superga.

Woods then lit out on his own with 4-km to go. Lopez found his wheel after two kilometres.


The nearest chasers to the duo were 22-seconds back. Lopez and Woods attacked each other over and over until Lopez made the decisive move with 500-metres to go. It’s Lopez’s first single day race win of the season and Woods’ best result of 2016.

Rigoberto Uran’s efforts made it two Colombians and two Cannondale riders on the podium.

Woods is slated to race Saturday’s final WorldTour race of the season, the monument Classic Il Lombardia.

2016 Milano-Torino
1) Angel “Superman” Lopez (Colombia/Astana)
2) Michael “Rusty” Woods (Canada/Cannondale-Drapac) +0:09
3) Rigoberto Uran (Colombia/Cannondale-Drapac) +0:14