Canada's Michael Woods, right, overtakes Neilson Powless of the U.S., wearing the best climber's dotted jersey, on the climb to Puy de Dome during the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.5 kilometres (113.5 miles) with start in Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat and finish in Puy de Dome, France on July 9.Vincent Kalut/The Associated Press
Michael Woods became the third Canadian to win a stage at the historic Tour de France on Sunday, and the biggest victory of his career meant he had to conquer a legendary mountain.
Mr. Woods, 36, of Ottawa raced near the front throughout the 182.5-kilometre leg between Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat and Puy de Dôme, an extinct volcano in central France, but made his biggest move with 500 metres to go.
That’s when he overtook 24-year-old Matteo Jorgenson of the United States to win the ninth of 21 stages in four hours 19 minutes 21 seconds. Mr. Jorgenson ended up placing fourth, 36 seconds back.
Mr. Woods joins Steve Bauer, who in 1988 became the first Canadian to win a stage of the world’s most famous cycling race, and Hugo Houle, who won one last year. At that 2022 leg, Mr. Woods finished in third spot.
On Sunday, Mr. Woods was mobbed by teammates as he crossed the finish line. The stage features a dramatic uphill climb at the end and is considered one of the most challenging of the Grand Tour. The Tour de France has been staged every year since 1903 with the exception of the First and Second World Wars.
“I’m having a pinch-myself moment,” Mr. Woods said afterward. “I can’t believe I did it. I’m really proud of myself and proud of my team. It’s special.”
A two-time Olympian, Mr. Woods placed fifth in the men’s road race at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Canada’s second-best Olympic result in the event. He has been a cyclist for just 11 years – prior to that he was a distance runner but gave it up because of injuries. For 18 years he has held the Canadian one-mile record for under-20-year-old runners at three minutes 57.48 seconds.
Mr. Woods has had two other top-10 finishes in this edition of the Tour de France – a fifth and a sixth. He is 22nd among 169 riders in the overall standings. The 10th stage from Vulcania to Issoire begins Tuesday, with the last one concluding on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 23.
The event consists of 21 daylong stages that cover 3,500 kilometres.
The rest of the top five finishers in the lengthy ninth stage all finished within one minute of each other: Pierre Latour of France was 28 seconds behind; Matej Mahoric of Slovenia was 35 seconds in arrears, followed ever-so-closely by Mr. Jorgenson. Clément Berthet of France placed fifth, 55 seconds back.
Mr. Woods has raced for the Israel-Premier Tech team for three years. Mr. Bauer, Canada’s most celebrated road racer, is the sporting director of the team.
In 1988, the Tour de France also included a leg to Puy de Dôme.
Over the last 14 kilometres, riders must grind their way through a 1,047-metre climb.
“The last five kilometres are especially brutal,” Mr. Bauer said Sunday night from France. “It is steeped and the road swirls around the volcano like a top. It is perfect for Michael. Super-steep is his forte.”
Mr. Bauer, who lives in St. Catharines, Ont., recalls his victory in the first stage of the event 35 years ago.
“Every second of it,” he said. “It is definitely a life accomplishment. When you get one it is special. For Mike, it is the most beautiful win of his career. It is top tier.”
Mr. Bauer said the team’s strategy was for Mr. Woods and a teammate to break away from the pack at the start and then to put a large gap between them and the trailers.
“It gave Mike the best chance,” Mr. Bauer said.
“... We are all happy for Mike. He is a great athlete. We have a big entourage. We’ll have a glass of beer or bubbly tonight and toast him.”
Mr. Woods has no ambition in the general classification and was part of an early breakaway that the main contenders allowed to form early in the ninth stage. He managed to catch Mr. Jorgenson just 500 metres from the summit after his 24-year-old rival jumped away from the leading group with less than 50 kilometres left.
The 36-year-old Canadian then dropped Mr. Jorgenson at ease and reached the summit of the Puy de Dôme.
Mr. Houle, Mr. Woods’s Israel-Premier Tech teammate, won Stage 16 of last year’s Tour de France. His victory was Canada’s first stage win in the historic race since Mr. Bauer captured the opening stage of the race in 1988.
Marty Klinkenberg