Woods makes a sensational return to the World Championships at home in Montreal.

A dramatic turn of events has struck in Canada: the men's squad for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships , which will be held on Canadian soil, features a name no one expected to see back in the race. It's Michael Woods , the 28-year-old (older in age, but still sportingly hungry) who announced his retirement from road racing at the end of the 2025 season.

A former middle-distance runner who turned to cycling as an adult, Woods has built a remarkable career: a stage in the Tour de France, three stages in the Vuelta a España, a double overall victory in the Route d'Occitanie, and, last but not least, a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships. After retiring from the road, he threw himself headlong into the gravel circuit for 2026, even making his debut in knobby mountain biking at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. But the call of the road, evidently, was too strong to resist.

Cycling Canada made the call-up official with a statement that was full of praise: "Michael Woods, a Tour de France stage winner, three-time Vuelta a España stage winner, two-time overall champion at the Route d'Occitanie and a World Championships podium finisher, joins the team with world-class experience and leadership."

The Canadian team will be led by Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek), joined by WorldTour teammates Hugo Houle, Michael Leonard, and Pier-André Côté, with Nickolas Zukowsky (Pinarello Q36.5) completing the sextet. Woods, in this context, represents the real anomaly: an officially retired rider returning for one last, sentimental mission.

The reason for this return is all about his affection for his homeland: last year, a hernia prevented him from his scheduled farewell race at the GP de Montréal, leaving him with a bitter taste in his mouth. "I really wanted to end my career in Montreal. I couldn't do it last year because of a hernia. I had to have surgery, and it wasn't the end of my career I wanted," Woods told Canadian Cycling Magazine.

But it's not just nostalgia: Woods admitted he felt the pull of the World Championships at home, even though he didn't have the desire to tackle a full WorldTour schedule. "I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to play this alternative schedule. It's kept me in great shape. I feel fortunate to have been selected, but I also think I've had some good races this year to prove I'm still in good shape. I think I'll still be a valuable asset to the team at the Worlds."

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency