Michael Woods, a 36-year-old climber from the Ontario area, will be competing in the Tour de France for the fourth time. He made his debut in 2019 and returned in 2021 and 2022.

As a climbing specialist, he has his eyes on the King of the Mountains tag and the polka dot jersey earned by the rider who earns the most points on the mountain stages. 

In 2019, Woods finished 32nd in the general classification. His best stage performance was a sixth-place effort on stage 2. He was 15th overall in the mountains classification.

Plagued from the start by crashes and injuries at the Tour de France, Woods finished the 2019 race with two broken ribs suffered from crashes on Stage 11 and Stage 12.

In 2021, he finished third on Stage 8 and fifth on Stage 14. He left after Stage 18 and turned his focus to being at his best for the Olympics in Tokyo.

Prior to leaving, he did become the first Canadian to wear the polka-dot jersey, which he claimed after overcoming a crash on Stage 14.

At the 2022 event, he suffered a crash on Stage 9 and rode injured through the rest of the event.

He had a best finish of third on Stage 16 (won by teammate Hugo Houle), but bad luck struck again shortly after – Woods tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw after Stage 20, just shy of the celebratory and traditional finish in Paris.

Heading into the 2023 Tour de France, Woods is sharp and coming off a recent win at the four-stage La Route d'Occitanie on June 18, which he won for the second consecutive year. Each victory there included winning the third stage on the way to topping the standings in the general classification.

Woods’ Israel-Premier Tech teammate Chris Froome has won the Tour de France four times and is looking to join some of the sport’s most elite company with a fifth win.

In 2022, fellow Canadian and Israel-Premier Tech rider Hugo Houle became the first Canadian rider since 1988 to win a stage of the Tour de France. He won Stage 16 and finished 23rd overall for the year.

The 2023 Tour de France will be the 110th edition of the famed race, which first was contested in 1903.

The 21-stage journey across France, and often parts of neighboring countries, has become the most prestigious annual cycling event and traditionally features more than 20 of the best teams (nearly 200 of the top riders in the world).

A UCI WorldTour event, the 2023 Tour de France will begin July 1 in Bilbao, Spain, and send competitors on a trek of more than 3,400 kilometers, testing them across a variety of terrains – hills, mountains and flat countryside.

The final day (July 23) will start at France’s national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the track cycling venue for the 2024 Olympics. And, as has been the tradition since 1975, the race will conclude on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

Riders will be rewarded for their success across each stage and the terrain within, recognized daily with different colored jerseys for the top performers – green (leader in stage points), white (best time for riders under 25) and polka dot (King of the Mountains/best climber).

The most coveted and recognizable jersey at the Tour de France is the yellow one, worn each day by the overall leader based on total time across all stages. 

Across the 21 stages and the overall final standings, riders also will be competing for more than €2,300,000 ($2.5 million) in prize money.

The defending champion at the Tour de France is Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard. Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar won the previous two times (2020, 2021).

The Tour de France coverage on FloBikes will be available live for viewers in Canada from July 1 to July 23.

Viewers can catch the action as it unfolds and come back anytime to revisit their favorite moments via the archived full replays.

All FloSports subscribers will be able to enjoy daily news and video coverage, highlights, extended highlights and more.

More To Know About Michael Woods:

Michael Woods Didn’t Set Out To Be A Cyclist

Like many Canadians, Michael Woods grew up with a passion for ice hockey, but his smaller stature meant he probably didn’t have the size for the physicality of his favorite sport.

He then turned his attention to running and excelled through the high school and the youth ranks, went to the University of Michigan on a track scholarship and eventually got within sight of the Olympics, before frequent injuries cut that dream short, too.

After borrowing a bike and riding just to get back into shape, and running not a viable long-term option, Woods immersed himself into cycling and learning to race competitively – at age 25.

Fun fact: Woods is the only person to have officially run a sub-4-minute mile and finish the Tour de France.

Michael Woods’ First Grand Tour Stage Victory Was An Emotional One

Woods’ first Grand Tour stage win came on Stage 17 of the 2018 Vuelta a Espana, a race that ended with an insanely steep climb and far-from-ideal visibility as the racers approached the finish line.

Woods navigated his way through the chaos and crossed the finish line in honor of his son, Hunter, who was stillborn two months prior. 

From the devastating circumstances to one of the toughest physical challenges he may ever experience, Woods believed in the moment that his son helped him to the finish line.

The 2018 Season Was A Memorable One For Michael Woods

Along with his success at Vuelta a Espana, Woods added a third-place finish at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships. He became the first Canadian man to medal in that event in more than three decades.

The performance also helped Woods’ status in Canada, as the prestige of the World Championships was more relatable for Canadian sports fans, who weren’t as familiar with the nuances of cycling.

Everyone Understands The Olympics, And Woods Has Been There Twice

Michael Woods joined Team Canada for the Olympics in 2016 (Rio de Janeiro) and 2021 (Tokyo).

In 2016, Woods finished 55th and was the only one of the three Canadian riders credited with finishing the 241.5-kilometer race.

In 2021, following a sprint finish for the silver and bronze medals, Woods settled for fifth place in the 234-kilometer one-day race. He was joined in the effort by fellow Canadians Guillaume Boivin (65th) and Hugo Houle (85th).

2023 UCI Individual World Rankings

In the most recent UCI Individual World Rankings, Michael Woods ranked 112th. The highest-ranking Canadian rider is Derek Gee at No. 52. 

Here are the top 5: 

1. Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
2. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium
3. Wout Van Aert, Belgium
4. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark
5. Mads Pedersen, Denmark

*Houle is No. 214.

How To Watch 2023 Tour de France In Canada

The 2023 Tour de France starts July 1 and will run through July 23.

STREAMING: Canadian fans can watch the 2023 Tour de France on FloBikes. SIGN UP HERE.

On Your TV: Now Available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV.

Cast: Cast to your smart TV, including Vizio, Samsung and LG TVs.

On The Go: Download the FloSports app on iOS or Android.

Archived Footage

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloBikes subscribers in Canada to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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