Canadian Michael Woods is headed to his fifth Tour de France, looking for a repeat of 2023 when he won a stage in the storied Grand Tour race.
The 38-year-old from Ottawa will ride alongside fellow Canadian Guillaume Boivin in Israel-Premier Tech's eight-man team for the 3,320-kilometre Tour, which runs from July 5 to 27.
Team sporting director Steve Bauer, who rode in 11 editions of the Tour de France and was the first Canadian to win a stage (in 1988), has high hopes for the team but is realistic about the challenge that lies ahead.
"It鈥檚 simply said, yet difficult to achieve 鈥� we want to win a stage," Bauer said in a statement. "We鈥檝e assembled the best team from our current healthy roster with the aim of achieving this goal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a common goal for every team, and that鈥檚 where the challenge lies at the highest level of our sport. We have to be sharp from Day 1 and, in particular, through the first 10 days, we鈥檒l analyze how we can have a shot at nearly every stage, because we can鈥檛 afford to let any opportunities go. We have the riders who can be in the mix to win. Our day-to-day tactics will be very important, along with how we manage the guys.鈥�
Woods returns to the race two years after becoming the third Canadian to win a stage on the Tour. Israel-Premier Tech teammate Hugo Houle was the second, winning the 16th stage of the 2022 edition.
Woods is also the last Israel-Premier Tech rider to win a Grand Tour stage 鈥� at the Spanish Vuelta last August.
"It鈥檚 a crazy race and it鈥檚 the last race on the calendar that I do that scares me 鈥� in a good way, but it鈥檚 such a challenging race," he said. "The level is so high. The risks are so big, but the rewards are so incredible. Winning a stage there in 2023 was the crowning achievement of my career. Given the level of excitement around that win and the support I鈥檝e received since I achieved it, I can say it changed my life. For all of those reasons, I can say I鈥檓 looking forward to returning to the Tour."
Woods, an accomplished climber, says he is not targeting the first week.
鈥淓verything from Stage 6 onward I鈥檓 excited about," he said. "Don鈥檛 expect to see me at all during those opening stages. I want to try and stay safe. The only Tour I鈥檝e won a stage in was the only one I didn鈥檛 crash in. If I can stay upright in the first week, then there are opportunities in the second and third weeks for stage wins.鈥�
Woods' best general classification finish at the Tour was 32nd in 2-19. He did not finish the race in 2021 and '22 and was 48th in 2023.
Fellow Canadian Derek Gee led Israel Premier-Tech at the Giro d'Italia in June, finishing fourth overall. The 27-year-old from Ottawa was ninth overall in last year's Tour de France but is not on this year's team.
The other team members this year are Germany's Pascal Ackermann, Britain's Joe Blackmore and Jake Stewart, France's Mat卯s Louvel, Kazakhstan's Alexey Lutsenko and Latvia's Krists Neilands.
"We have several guys who will have opportunities in the first week. Stages one, two, and three will be intense," said Bauer. "Certainly, Ackie and Jake will be key men, backed up by a solid support group. There could be a couple of potential breakaway stages before the first rest day, too, depending on how the peloton reacts and the race evolves. It will be important for our guys to be ready to go hunting for victories when these opportunities come.
鈥淚n the high mountains, Mike is our best climber, and he鈥檚 proven he can win Grand Tour stages. We鈥檒l look to keep him out of trouble in the first few days, and then we鈥檒l utilize his strengths as we go forward.鈥�
For the first time since 2020, the Tour will be held exclusively in France.
The 21-stage race features seven flat stages, six hilly stages, six mountain stages (with five mountain finishes) and two time trials. The field includes 184 riders representing 23 teams.
The race starts in Lille with a flat 184.9-kilometre stage.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
