Maggie Coles-Lyster sprinted to second place at GP Mazda Schelkens, while Kathrin Schweinberger finished fifth, with the Canadian scoring her second podium of 2026.
A huge team lead-out delivered the sprinters to the line at the end of the 134.1 km one-day race in Borsbeek, Belgium, with the squad of Coles-Lyster, Schweinberger, Carlotta Cipressi, Wiktoria Pikulik, Lily Williams and Jente Koops leading into the finale.
“Our plan was a bit different, and obviously, we really wanted that win, but we can walk away happy with second place as well,” the 27-year-old said afterwards. “We had to adapt on the fly, which can happen in these finishes, but the whole team raced well all day, and we were definitely the strongest squad.”
Ever-present at the head of the peloton throughout an 86-degree day, the squad avoided two crashes in the final before Cipressi, Williams and Koops emptied their tanks in the last kilometer.
The sprinters then launched on a final bend, with Coles-Lyster finishing just behind winner Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech).
“Of course, we wanted that win, and that third win of the year will come,” said Coles-Lyster. “We’re getting closer and closer every race.”
As with Schweinberger’s podium at Veenendaal – Veenendaal, both sprinters raced atop the speedy Factor ONE aero bike.
“I love racing on the Factor ONE,” she says. “It’s not only super-fast, but it’s also super comfortable. I just feel so easy and fluid on it.”
Well-versed in the North American crit racing scene, Coles-Lyster called on all of her skills in a twisty finish.
“It’s basically a race like a crit, like a super fast circuit race, lots of corners. The finish is always kind of interesting, the way it curves around to the right,” she explained. “My background is in crits, so this fast, punchy style of racing is basically in my DNA.”
Coles-Lyster now heads to the Giro with sprint practice in her legs and some timely heat adaptation, having also recently trained on her Wahoo KICKR home trainer in a CORE bodysuit.
“I started the year with a big block of racing from Australia through the Classics, but I took some rest and trained at altitude,” Cole-Lyster explains. “Coming out of that and feeling strong again and on top of my sprint is really motivating heading into the Giro, as there are a lot of sprint opportunities there.”
The team comes away from the long weekend of racing with the aforementioned two second-place finishes, and a fifth-place finish from Lily Williams at Antwerp Port Epic Ladies.
GP Mazda Schelkens results
1 KOOL Charlotte – Fenix-Premier Tech 3:12:19
2 COLES-LYSTER Maggie – Human Powered Health ”
3 DE ZOETE Mylène – Fenix-Premier Tech ”
4 MILLER Abigail – UAE Development Team ”
5 SCHWEINBERGER Kathrin – Human Powered Health ”
6 DE CLERCQ Katrijn – Lotto Intermarché Ladies ”
7 LÓPEZ Marga – Minimax Cycling Team ”
8 VANHOVE Marith – AG Insurance – Soudal Team ”
9 TAS Sandrine – Lotto Intermarché Ladies ”
10 BOOGAARD Maaike – VolkerWessels Cycling Team ”
