Woods Eyes Iconic Tour de France Stages Amidst Pogacar Dominance
while Tadej Pogacar continues to assert his authority in the Tour de France, Michael Woods remains focused on seizing opportunities in the remaining high mountain stages. The Canadian climber, currently fifth in the mountains classification, is drawing inspiration from Thymen Arensman‘s recent breakaway victory, believing that bold moves can still yield success even in the era of Pogacar’s dominance.
Pogacar has been formidable, claiming four stage wins and limiting time losses to breakaways. However, Woods, who has a history of performing well in the mountains, sees potential in challenging the Slovenian’s grip on the race. He acknowledges the need for notable time advantages heading into climbs to counter Pogacar, but Arensman’s performance at Superbagneres has rekindled hope.
“He has definitely taken the wind out of a lot of people’s sails,” Woods commented on Pogacar’s strength. “In race meetings,before the stage,now we say you’ll need four or five minutes at the base of a climb in order to hold him off. But look at what Thymen Arensman did yesterday, it gives you hope. You’ve just got to keep trying and do what he did, go deep and hope for the best.”
Woods, who led the mountains classification for a day in 2021, is eager to make his mark on iconic climbs like the Ventoux and the Col de la Loze. He has a particular affinity for the Ventoux, having competed there previously.”I want to succeed, and there are some opportunities left to me; I have x-es on the calendar,” Woods confirmed. “I was up there with Lenny Martinez on the Ventoux [in the CIC-Ventoux race in 2023] he took me out in the sprint, it was a shortened version of it as of high winds. But I know it well and it’d be an iconic stage to take a win.”
Woods’ pursuit of the mountains classification, where he trails leader Lenny Martínez by 22 points, remains a secondary objective to stage victories on the Tour’s most challenging ascents.
