Canadian cyclist Michael Woods to miss Tirreno-Adriatico race due to bronchitis

A bout of bronchitis has forced Canadian rider Michael Woods out of the Tirreno-Adriatico race in Italy.

A spokesman for the Israel-Start-Up Nation team confirmed the illness that has sidelined the 34-year-old from Ottawa from the 56th edition of the race, which starts Wednesday and runs through next Tuesday.

Woods is now focusing on the Ardennes Classics, the Tour de France and the Tokyo Olympics.

Woods left the EF Pro Cycling team at the end of 2020 to join Israel Start-Up Nation, which is co-owned by Canadian-Israeli entrepreneur Sylvan Adams.

He has performed well in the past at the three Ardennes races: the Amstel Gold Race (April 18 in the Netherlands), La Fleche Wallonne (April 21, Belgium) and Liege-Bastogne-Liege (April 25, Belgium).

Woods finished second at the 2018 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and third at the 2020 Fleche Wallonne.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2021