Michael Woods fired up for the QP Quebec after getting rid of illness: "It really made me contemplate retiring, until I found out actually what was going on"

Michael Woods only picked up cycling in quite late age and thus his longevity at the age of 37 isn't really surprising. But when things weren't moving in the right direction for a while this spring, even the current Canadian champion had some doubts about returning to the top.

"I thought I was just getting old, and that's why I wasn't going as well at the races," Woods told local outlet Times Colonist on the eve of the race in Quebec. "It really held me back and made me contemplate retiring, until I found out actually what was going on."

Woods withdrew from the Giro in May after a crash left him with mild concussion symptoms. Further testing revealed he had been battling Helicobacter pylori — a bacterial stomach infection his team believes he contracted during training camp in South Africa.

"To be in a position where I was really considering quitting, and then to finally get back into form and work my way all the way back up to the top of the sport was really a great feeling," said Woods.

Succesfully recovering from the persistent illness allowed Woods to regain his climbing qualities that led to his stage victory at the Vuelta a Espana. That meant Woods could pull out of the race with peace of mind in third week to re-focus on the Canadian classics and subsequent World Championships on a course that suits Woods very nicely.

"Once I was able to get the stage win, the team knew I was moving well, I was moving well, and Montreal has definitely been a huge goal of mine in my career, having a good result there," said Woods, whose best finish in Montreal is eighth. "I just thought I'd like to take a stab at it, and the team was keen on it."