Michael Woods can look back at 'good' months coming into Vuelta: "I have some confidence going into this race"
Cycling
Michael Woods has witnessed the rise of his compatriot and teammate Derek Gee this season from a first-row seat. However he himself had a disastrous start to 2024, topped off with an early abandon at Giro d'Italia. At Vuelta a Espana, he'll try to write a story with much happier ending.
"I’m really excited to be doing the Vuelta a Espana especially given all of the health issues I’ve had this season," Woods explains his struggles early on in the season. "I went into the Giro d’Italia with a lot of uncertainty, poor fitness, and ultimately, a stomach infection I didn’t know I had."
However things seemed to have turned to better with a first Canadian title for Woods and a solid ride at San Sebastian. "I have some confidence going into this race. With that confidence, it’s made me a lot more excited and having been so sick, I’m not taking this good form for granted."
Since his 2020 Lombardia runner-up result, it hasn't been easy for Bennett in the professional peloton. Ultimately he seems to have found his place in Israel - Premier Tech with whom he has climbed onto the GC podiums of Giro d'Abruzzo and Sibiu Tour (both 2.1 and both 3rd place). General classification is probably not on Bennett's mind for Vuelta, however stage win could be.
"I’m looking forward to getting back to racing a Grand Tour," Bennett says. "I don’t love the short steep finishes but there are a few stages with longer climbs I’m looking forward to. I don’t really know how the form will be after sitting out most of the summer but I’m optimistic that with the team we have going that we can really make an impact on the race."
A rather unexpected hero have the American fans found in the 24-year-old Riley Sheehan. Without any pressure nor expectations, the American shocked the world with a victory at Paris-Tours as trainee last year and haven't stopped since. This year, he has landed on a podium of Eschborn-Frankfurt and finished 13th in his Tour of Flanders debut. Now it's time to get a taste of three-week races and we're looking forward to seeing what this powerhouse has in store for Spanish Grand Tour.
"Having the opportunity to start the Vuelta a Espana as a first-year pro is hard to believe but I couldn’t be more excited for the challenge," shares his excitement the Grand Tour debutant Sheehan. "The team that we’ll have is an awesome group and it will be a pleasure to race and learn with everyone. Personally, I have my eye on a few stages but, ultimately, I really want to get a Grand Tour in the legs and show my versatility as a rider."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- And we, what are we doing?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- And yet, it attracts people, even you. What’s more, it attracts the rival fanboys to fill cyberspace with endless pointless my hero is better than your hero blabla that’s all been heard before and only helps sell the site as an advertising platform. You know what the solution is but most can’t resist. No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- he is doing 460 watts for 35 min to achieve 7 w/kg with VO2 at 96 , just unreal numbers.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just do it, and put up with the consequencesJumpyjohn08-11-2026
- "was a headliner at the Tour de France" Nobody cared about Piddie. Only rivals that were there for Pogi, Jonas, Remco, Sexias, Lipo, Del Toro and they were all expected to lose. Piddie was not even in any conversation.abstractengineer08-11-2026
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