Despite recent crash, Canadian Woods ready for 2nd crack at Vuelta

Mike Woods was hurtling down a hill on Stage 2 of the Tour of Utah when he turned a corner and hit some sand.

His front wheel lost traction and the Canadian rider, who was going in excess of 50 km/h, hit the tarmac.

“It didn’t hurt, because there was no impact. I just slid,” Woods explained. “But in the process of sliding, I lost a lot of skin.”

That was Aug. 7. Woods, riding for the EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale team, got back up and went on to finish ninth overall in the seven-day, 880-kilometre race despite the leg wound getting infected.

The 31-year-old from Ottawa is now poised to tackle the Spanish Vuelta — a 3,271-kilometre, three-week marathon that starts Saturday in Malaga with an eight-kilometre individual time trial.

Antoine Duchesne, a 26-yearold from Saguenay, Que., is also in the race. As Canadian national champion he will wear the

Maple Leaf while riding for Groupama — FDJ.

Woods turned heads by finishing seventh overall — after placing third on Stage 9 — in his first crack at the Vuelta last year.

The Utah accident briefly dampened his enthusiasm for this year’s race but he says he’s starting to feel better.

Woods’ team is looking to back Colombian Rigoberto Uran in the general classification standings of the final Grand Tour of the season.

Runner-up at last year’s Tour de France, Uran is “super-motivated” after crashing out of this year’s Tour, according to Woods.

“We’re all in for him for the general classification,” he said.

Woods, meanwhile, is using the race to prepare for the world championship road race that follows 10 days after the Vuelta.

“However, I’m not ruling anything out at this point,” he said.

“I don’t expect to do as well as I did last year but I won’t be shocked if I have a good (stage) result either.”

The 73rd edition of the Vuelta features 176 riders from 22 teams.

Past winners in the field include Alejandro Valverde (2009), Vincenzo Nibali (’10), Fabio Aru (’15) and Nairo Quintana (’16).

Defending champion Chris Froome and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, both members of Team Sky, are skipping the race to compete in the Tour of Britain.

Italy’s Nibali, runner-up last year, will wear bib No. 1.

This year, Woods finished second in the prestigious Liege-Bastogne-Liege one-day race in April — the first Canadian to reach the podium at the event — and was runner-up on Stage 4 of the Giro D’Italia in May.

Slowed by illness in the second week, Woods went on to finish 19th overall in the Giro.

Seasonal allergies turned into bronchitis during the race. He later found out he was allergic to olive tree pollen.

Like most elite riders,

Woods is no stranger to setbacks.

In 2016, he crashed at Liege-Bastogne-Liege breaking his hand in three places.

He broke his femur in advance of the Rio Olympics but still competed in the road race, finishing 55th despite throwing up in mid-competition.

An early-season bout of rotavirus sent Woods to hospital earlier this year.

Woods, who makes his home in Spain these days, says he is actually most comfortable on the bike after the most recent crash.

“Just lying around was the least comfortable. Sleeping was awful,” he said.