Michael Woods comes back from retirement to have one last go at the home Montreal World Championships
CyclingSunday, 16 August 2026 at 03:00
Michael Woods (39) will make one final comeback to road cycling as a part of Canada's national team for the 2026 Montraal World Championships.
The former runner with ten years of professional cycling experience concluded his career at the end of last season, but Woods continued to make a regular appearance in the world of gravel and gran fondo racing. Thanks to that, he never fully disappeared from the national coach's radar.
And following his seventh place at the National road Championships held in the province of Quebec, it's become clear that Woods still maintained a very high level.
In fact, high enough to be selected for the 2026 World Championships held in Montreal, Canada.
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Woods is of course more than familiar with the Montreal circuit, having previously finished 8th twice (in 2019 and 2024). But nothing like that is expected of the ex-professional rider this September.
Invaluable presence of Woods
Thr Canadian Cycling Association rather values that Woods brings "world-class experience and leadership qualities" to the 2026 World Championship team.
"I am incredibly happy and proud to wear the maple leaf one last time," Woods said on social media following the announcement of the roster.
The undisputed leader of Canadian team in Montreal will be 5th from this year's Giro d'Italia Derek Gee-West. Furthermore, the nomination includes Pier-Andre Coté, Hugo Houle, Michael Leonard, Nicholas Zukowsky, and Woods. Gee-West and Leonard will also represent in individual time trial.
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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