Mike Woods has said that “cycling is a ludicrously dangerous sport” as he announces that he will retire from the sport at the end of the year.
The 38-year-old Canadian, a four-time Grand Tour stage winner, came to cycling late, joining the WorldTour with Cannondale-Drapac aged 29 in 2016.
“Every time I do a race, I feel an immense sense of luck to be doing it, as it is truly a pure luxury constructed by our own creativity. Riding around France, while literally billions of people watch, is my job, and that is nuts. What puts food on my table and a roof over my head has been riding a bike 30,000–35,000 km every year across all parts of the globe — for the entertainment of others.”
“I once asked staff on my team: how much would they have to be paid, to drive around in a car at 50 km/h, 70 days a year, for 4-5 hours per day, in a T-shirt and shorts, and twice per year—with no control over when or where—they would be pushed out of the car?” Woods wrote. “Statistically, that is roughly how many times the average pro rider crashes per season. Not one of the staff said less than 500k, and when I asked how many years they would do it, not one said more than two.
The former runner wrote: “I still have big ambitions and plans for the coming years that will involve exploring new arenas in endurance sports (I’ve got some epic plans, so stay tuned for these).”
