This time last year Michael Woods was preparing to race his final Tour de France, but despite now being retired from professional road racing he certainly isn't putting his feet up this year either. The Canadian is embracing a new test, racing more than 200 miles across the Flint Hills of Kansas at Unbound Gravel.

"I raced pro for ten years on the road but I've been following the sport of gravel for a long time now and I've always been really interested in it, and this is the biggest gravel event in the world so that's why I'm here," Woods told Cyclingnews in Emporia ahead of taking to the start line on Saturday. "I want to see what it's all about, test myself.