Canadian national champion Michael Woods returns home this week, as on the 13th and 15th of September, the peloton heads to North America and to Canada for the 2024 GC Quebec and GP Montreal.
After the 37-year-old was forced to abandon the 2024 Vuelta a Espana through fatigue, Woods was facing a race against tie to be fit an prepared for the Canadian classics. Thankfully for the three-time Vuelta a Espana stage winner, it seems as if that was a race he was won.
"I'm really excited to be racing in Montreal, particularly in the Canadian jersey," begins the Toronto native in a preview posted to the official Instagram account of Woods' Israel - Premier Tech team. "It's a dream to race in Montreal with the national champ's jersey."
With the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Matteo Jorgenson and Julian Alaphilippe also present, a star studded lineup of riders will be there trying to deny Woods what would be an emotional win on home roads. "It's a race I first became aware of when I got into cycling and it's almost a home race for me because Ottawa is so close," Woods concludes. "I have friends who ride the race from Ottawa every year so it's such a special race for me. To have that jersey in that race is going to be super cool."