For a while, during the transfer market, there were rumours about a possible exit from Michael Woods laid down by the Israel PremierTechWhich seemed strange considering that Canadian is like fine wine, it gets better with age. Even in 2023 he managed to leave his mark, proving to be among the brightest of his team, known for being the one with the highest average age among WorldTour and former WT riders, which goes against the current cycling trend.
The voices then faded away over time, the reality is that Woods remains an integral part of the team, certainly shaken by the latest events that have involved the country as the new purchase told SheehanWoods is now with his family, on the other side of the Atlantic, facing the very first part of his preparations before the pre-season training camp in December, thus lending himself to a chat with the bowls still on what has been and what will come.
How do you rate your last season?
It was certainly a success. I achieved the most important result of my career by winning a stage at the Tour de FranceIt may not have been my best season in terms of consistency, but I was quite satisfied and this gave me motivation for the season to come.
What did the victory in the Puy de Dome stage leave you with?
Much satisfaction, even relief. After saying I wanted to win a Tour stage for so long, I feared that moment would never come. And in the end, it left me with a lot of motivation. Now I have a new goal: to try to get another stage win at the Giro and complete my collection of victories in all three Grand Tours. I think that would be really special.
Do you feel more competitive in classic road races or short stage races these days?
I think the level has gone up. There are a lot of riders now in the World Tour who are just incredible. Back then, Valverde There were only one or two dominant riders, I came close when he was at the end of his career. When I first started to emerge, I felt like I was a little more competitive than the best. Today the situation is different, but that doesn't mean I still don't have the chance to do well in these races and I'm still pretty excited to wrestle with the younger guys in the years to come.
You finished with good results in the Italian end-of-season races: did you expect more between Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine, and Lombardy?
I was quite satisfied with the first two races, but a little disappointed with the Lombardy. I felt really good in these classics, as if I were back to my old level. But Unfortunately at the Lombardia I made a mistake in terms of execution on the final climb and I was too far back when the attack startedI've really noticed how in the last two or three years, if you're not in the perfect position, it's almost impossible to compete against the best cyclists in the world. In the past, you could make a mistake and fall a little behind, but you could fix it. The pace of racing now is so relentless, so high that if you make a mistake, you end up paying for it. And so I ended up not being part of that first group, even though I felt I really had the legs to be there.
Are the Ardennes races still a goal of yours?
Yes, definitely. I'm really focused on them. However, The big goal for me next year is the Giro d'Italia, I will have to be in top form for the start of the Giro d'Italia.
You'll be entering your fourth year at Israel: how do you feel about the team, and what do you say to those who say it's too old on average?
I'm really excited to be part of this team for the fourth year. It's like a family that cares for me, and I feel truly privileged. That said, our average age is definitely one of the highest in the group, and at 37, I certainly contribute to that. But I think I'm really lucky to be part of a team that doesn't consider that aspect. Geraint Thomas He proved last season, as I proved at the Tour, that you can still be at your best in your career. Alejandro Valverde is also a great example of this. And I'm excited to continue exploring my abilities into my late twenties.. And who knows, maybe even further.
You're 37 years old: do you agree with those who say that current cycling will make it impossible to continue racing at that age in the future?
No. I think the trend is definitely moving towards younger cyclists. I think now, with access to better information like technology, coaching, nutrition, becoming a top young rider is becoming much easier. You don't need years of experience to reach the next level. You can simply follow someone on Strava or have a good coach guide you during your training peaks. You can watch all the races online and learn much faster than you could before.
So, hard times for those who come from another cycling culture...
Well, I think age still plays a role in sports. I'm still learning myself. This is a sport where you are constantly learning and as you get better it becomes easier to perform at this level.. As far as I'm concerned, physiologically I'm getting close to my maximum capacity, but I still feel like I'm improving mentally. Having the experience that comes with age helps. It's still a team sport, and having guys with only years of experience helps a lot on the team.
Looking back, do you have any regrets about a missed opportunity?
Even though I have had failures in my career, I also had some great successes. And certainly those failures, those mistakes I made, made me a better pilot and a better person.
