Following an unforeseen end to his WorldTour cycling career at the close of 2025, Canadian athlete Michael Woods, at 39 years old, is embarking on a fresh chapter of competitive challenges. His journey will now pivot towards a diverse range of endurance sports, including triathlons, gravel cycling, mountain bike marathons, and ski mountaineering. This shift, detailed in a recent blog post, reflects his undiminished drive to push his physical and mental boundaries, even as his professional road cycling career concludes.
Woods openly shared that his WorldTour career concluded on an unexpected note, likening it to "a funeral without a casket." He had initially envisioned his final race to be the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, a significant event in his home country that helped launch his career over a decade ago. However, his professional road cycling journey concluded abruptly on a cold, wet Champs-Élysées during the final stage of the 2025 Tour de France, an outcome he did not anticipate at the time.
The abrupt end to his road racing career was due to a worsening inguinal hernia after the Tour de France, which rendered him unable to continue training or competing. He described the pain as becoming so severe that cycling was no longer feasible, forcing an unforeseen retirement from professional cycling. Instead of the anticipated celebratory conclusion in Montréal, he found himself undergoing hernia surgery, sharing a hospital dinner table with men reflecting on their own retirements.
Woods transitioned into cycling at a later age, joining the WorldTour with Cannondale-Drapac at 29 in 2016. Throughout his career, he achieved significant milestones, including stage victories in both the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France, as well as podium finishes at the UCI World Championships and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His initial decision to retire from the WorldTour was made with a sense of contentment, having lived a fulfilling life outside of the sport and previously experiencing the end of another athletic career. However, the reality of this retirement brought an unexpected sense of disillusionment.
Driven by a profound belief in the importance of continuous self-challenge, Woods opted out of a contract extension for another year on the WorldTour. His new initiative, dubbed "Way to Race," will see him testing his endurance against top specialists across various disciplines. This project will not only encompass competitive events but also involve documenting his experiences through his blog, Instagram, and YouTube. Through these platforms, he plans to explore pertinent questions about the integration of a former WorldTour rider into the privateer endurance scene and to delve into whether the Tour de France truly stands as the ultimate endurance test in sports.
Woods's post-WorldTour journey represents a remarkable pivot, showcasing his enduring commitment to athletic excellence and personal growth. By embracing diverse endurance sports and documenting his experiences, he continues to inspire, offering a unique perspective on the pursuit of competitive spirit beyond traditional boundaries.