Mike "Rusty" Woods Limited Edition Cycling Shoes for Tour de France
by Garneau
It’s been quite the year for Michael (Rusty) Woods. Building off of his 2018 3rd Place World Champion finish, Woods has had several podium finishes in 2019. But this story starts long before the name Woods became part of cycling vernacular. It starts with an unknown little team Woods joined after competing in his first bicycle race in 2012. That team was our very own, Garneau-Quebecor.
Supporting young talent and fostering relationships is an unspoken tradition at Garneau. Rusty Woods became part of the Garneau family in 2013, so when the need for a comfortable shoe topped the Woods To Do List, you might say he called home.
The Course Air Lite II Cycling Shoes need no gloss to shine. With X-Comfort Zone technology, this shoe is the world’s most comfortable cycling shoe. The X-Comfort fits two different foot widths due to an expandable zone that stretches up to 5 mm. This technology improves power, reduces injuries, and creates unsurpassed comfort. By itself, we had outfitted Woods with a shoe perfect for the Grand Tour.
“Teamwork Makes The Dream Work”
When the idea to create an inspirational shoe for Woods, we consulted three people.
Rusty Woods provided us with the personal reflection of what drives him. This concept of teamwork was the underlying theme. There was perfection, in our minds, in using the word teamwork as the m connects to the w symbolizing Michael Woods.
We took this vision to artist, Rae Torres. Torres describes herself as a 'Chronic Doodler.' We define her illustration and lettering work as a modern throwback to pre-digital era designs. The simple yet colorful designs she presented us were perfect.
Our next and final steps were to send these drawings and two pairs of shoes across the pond to Simon Fellows of Artful Kicks. Simon has produced over 200 pairs of cycling shoes through this intense process that protects the art from wear and tear.
I could not be happier with the quality and performance of my new Course Airlite II shoes. Light, responsive and breathable even in the hottest of weather, these shoes stand up to the rigors of racing at the sport’s highest level. In 2019, they have helped me win and they have played a major role in my most consistent season to date. As I now start my first Tour de France, I will be wearing these shoes with confidence! - Mike Woods
