Cyclist Michael Woods targets Montreal win after pondering retirement, Vuelta triumph

Michael Woods thought Father Time had finally come calling.

Instead, he's winning Grand Tour stages, and hungry for a big result at home.

The 37-year-old from Ottawa rides into this weekend's Montreal cycling Grand Prix as a recent Spanish Vuelta stage winner despite dealing with an early-season illness that had him struggling at the Giro d'Italia and considering calling it quits.

"I thought I was just getting old, and that's why I wasn't going as well at the races," Woods said. "It really held me back and made me contemplate retiring, until I found out actually what was going on."

Woods withdrew from the Giro in May after a crash left him with mild concussion symptoms. Further testing revealed he had been battling Helicobacter pylori, a bacterial stomach infection his team believes he contracted during training camp in South Africa.

After months of re-finding his stamina, Woods, who became the third Canadian to win a Tour de France stage last year, triumphed on the mountainous 13th stage of La Vuelta on Aug. 30. It was his third career win in Spain.

The world-class climber ranked this Vuelta win among his biggest career achievements, given the circumstances.

"To be in a position where I was really considering quitting, and then to finally get back into form and work my way all the way back up to the top of the sport was really a great feeling," said Woods, who finished 41st in the road race at last month's Paris Olympics. "Something that I'm really proud of."

With a stage win in hand, Woods pulled out of the Vuelta before the 17th stage and shifted his focus to preparing for Montreal as a late addition to the start list.

The race is set for Sunday, while Quebec City's event takes place Friday. The two races are the only