Veteran Cyclist Michael Woods on How the Tokyo Olympics Has Lost Its Charm

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are almost here. While the excitement is at a fever pitch among fans, some athletes are struggling to feel at home in Japan.

With organizers placing strict rules and restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, for some athletes, the isolated lifestyle is getting a bit much.??

34-year-old Canadian cyclist Michael Woods is one such individual. For the veteran who skipped the final stages of the Tour de France to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, life has been mundane.

Going from one bio-bubble to the other, Woods said that while getting a solid result at the Olympics remains his priority, the restricted lifestyle has taken the sheen of the games.?

Michael Woods flustered by mundane lifestyle on offer at Tokyo Olympics

Talking to reporters virtually, Michael Woods said that though he’s swapped the Tour de France for the Tokyo Olympics, nothing much seems to have changed.

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“I came from the Tour, straight to the hotel here in Gotemba which is the Olympic cycling village. And the hotel is filled exclusively with cyclists. Basically everybody from the road race.?

It feels like I’ve gone from the Tour de France, which was a cycling bubble, to the same cycling bubble.?I’m seeing the exact same people in the hotel that I saw in France. That I see back in Andorra when I’m home or in Spain,” he said.

With athletes not allowed to step out unless, for practice, Woods said he hardly feels like being in Japan.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m in Japan,”?he said.?“It’s quite bizarre. We’re not allowed to leave the hotel except for training runs. We’re not allowed to stop on the training runs. So aside from the fact that you see Mount Fuji and the street signs are in Japanese, you really don’t feel like you are in Japan.”

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And this according to Woods has taken the joy and excitement out of participating in the games.?“This literally feels like just I’ve gone to another bike race,”?he said.?

Michael Woods will be representing Canada in the 234-kilometre Olympic road race. The race starts at 11 a.m. Saturday Tokyo time.?