Former star runner Michael Woods the only Canadian cyclist to finish Olympic road race
Former elite runner Michael Woods, once destined to compete at the Olympics on the track, was the only Canadian cyclist to finish the road race in Rio.
Cyclist Michael Woods was the only Canadian to finish the men’s road race in Rio on Saturday as he competed in his first-ever Olympics. The former star runner who turned to cycling after numerous injuries is now one of the country’s best riders in his second calling of a sport.
The 29-year-old Ottawa native who holds the Canadian under-20 athletics records in the mile and 3,000m finished 55th out of 65 riders in 6:30:50. Seventy-eight riders dropped out before the finish line.
RELATED: Interactive map: The hometown of every runner on Canada’s Olympic team.
“I just came apart with about 3K to go and lost the wheel in front of me, and went through a bad patch mentally,” Woods said. “I’m pretty gutted to not be in a better position, and to fall through after the great job Hugo and Antoine [teammates] did. But at the same time, I gave it my all. This is, without a doubt, the hardest race I’ve ever done. The wind, the heat, and the 5,000m of climbing. Throughout the day, it was just so hard. I’ve never gone that deep before.”
« It was the hardest race I've ever done » – @rusty_woods #Someday #CAN pic.twitter.com/rpiZ48gUcL
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 7, 2016
He has held the running records for more than 11 years and both his marks are considered world class. He was a multiple-time national champion in running and won gold at the Pan American Junior Championships during his early years. Woods went on to run for the University of Michigan but suffered repeated injuries to his foot that ultimately led him to call it a career.
While he was injured running, he regularly took to the bike as a form of cross-training. His last competitive race was 2007 though he ran smaller races for a four-year stretch afterwards. He fulfilled his dream by competing at the Olympics but it didn’t come in his childhood sport.
Woods has only competed in cycling for about three years building on his past aerobic ability as a middle-distance runner.
Woods raced with a carbon-fibre cover on his hand to protected an injury he sustained in a crash earlier this year. He did not race in the high-profiled Tour de France.
RELATED: Runner wearing headphones involved in big collision with approaching cyclist.
It was believed that the Canadian had the ability to finish in the top-10 as the course was suited for his climbing strengths. He may not have been fully race ready as he’s only competed twice since the spring after breaking three bones in his hand in April.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
