Canadian cyclist Mike Woods breaks his right femur in Paris-Nice crash

LYON, France — Canadian cyclist Mike Woods was taken to hospital with a broken right femur after crashing in Thursday’s stage of the Paris-Nice race.

The 33-year-old from Ottawa was to undergo surgery Thursday evening.

“We feel for Mike and his friends and family,” said Kevin Sprouse, head of medicine for the EF Pro Cycling team. “We’ll work with Mike every inch of the way as he recovers from this injury.”

The team said Woods will return to his home in Girona, Spain, to recover after surgery.

Woods, who has competed in the Tour de France, Giro D’Italia and Spanish Vuelta, stood 66th after the fourth stage of Paris-Nice.

Teammate Lawson Craddock was also forced to abandon the race Thursday. The American had a headache and, due to concerns around the COVID-19 virus, was taken to the finish in an ambulance.

Medical officials determined Craddock “did not meet the criteria to be tested for the coronavirus.”

In 2018, Woods won a stage in the Vuelta, was the first Canadian to climb the podium at the historic Liege-Bastogne-Liege one-day classic and finished third at the world championship road race.

A former elite distance runner at the University of Michigan, Woods switched to cycling due to a recurrent stress fracture in his foot. His last track comeback ended with another break in 2011.

Like most riders, he has endured his share of injuries and ailments.

He broke two ribs in a crash during Stage 12 of the 2019 Tour de France but still finished the race.

In 2016, he crashed at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, breaking his hand in three places and injuring his back. He still competed in the Olympic road race in Rio, finishing 55th despite throwing up in mid-competition.

An early-season bout of rotavirus — he thinks it was a buffet in Dubai at the Tour of Abu Dhabi — sent Woods to hospital in early 2018.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2020.

The Canadian Press