Retired Canadian favourite to make a remarkable comeback at the 2026 World Cycling Championships

This year’s World Cycling Championships will be held in Montreal, Canada, and a notable name will be on the starting line. Michael Woods, who retired as a professional cyclist last year, is returning as a pro road racer to represent both his home country and the host country. Woods said goodbye to the WorldTour at the end of last year, but is now preparing for a comeback.

The Canadian Cycling Federation announced the team for Montreal. Derek Gee-West is the undisputed leader of the squad, which will also include Pier-Andre Coté, Hugo Houle, Michael Leonard, Nicholas Zukowsky, and Woods, who will be competing on home soil. The women’s roster, which includes defending champion Magdeleine Vallieres, will be announced at a later date.

Woods, now 39 , retired from professional racing at the end of last year after the Tour de France, but remained active in the gravel circuit, among other things. In fact, he finished seventh at the national championship just this year. The former 1,500-meter runner has won three stages in the Vuelta, among other achievements, and took bronze at the 2019 World Championships behind Alejandro Valverde and Romain Bardet.

According to the Canadian Hockey Association, 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,” he said on social media following the announcement of the roster.

Canadian cyclist Michael Woods was a late bloomer who turned pro at 29 after injuries ended a promising running career. A pure climber renowned on brutally steep ascents, he quickly proved himself in the WorldTour with top results at the Tour Down Under and Vuelta a España.

Woods claimed major wins on severe climbs, including Milano–Torino and a 2023 Tour de France stage at Puy de Dôme, and consistently excelled in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, finishing second in 2018. His most emotional triumph came at the 2018 Vuelta on Balcón de Bizkaia, shortly after the death of his infant son and father-in-law, a win he dedicated to them. He later earned Worlds bronze that year and another Vuelta stage six years on, retiring after the Tour de France as a symbol of resilience and perseverance. Read more

Derek Gee-West (also time trial)
Michael Leonard (also time trial)
Pier-Andre Coté
Hugo Houle
Michael Leonard
Nicholas Zukowsky
Michael Woods