Canadian Olympian Maggie Coles-Lyster has signed for the team through 2026. The 25-year-old all-rounder from Maple Ridge, British Columbia will bolster the Classics squad and provide firepower in sprints.
“To be on an American Women’s WorldTour team is special,” Coles-Lyster said. “From my days racing BC Superweek at 14 years old and seeing the Optum women’s team there, it’s always been a team on the horizon for me. Since Human Powered Health stepped up to WorldTour and then focused on women’s cycling, I’ve heard nothing but good things. The staff seems incredible, which builds a solid foundation and that increases my excitement even more.”
National road champion in 2022, Coles-Lyster was an Olympian on the track at Paris 2024 and raced the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift the following day, sprinting to eighth on stage 2. She scored two podiums at the Thüringen Ladies Tour in 2024, fifth at Ronde de Mouscron and tenth at Gent-Wevelgem.
“To come to a program that will help me step it up to that next degree of development is important,” she explains. “I’ve figured it out on a large scale and now it’s time to fine-tune details with a team that will support that.”
In her personal life, Cole-Lyster already puts focus on elements of our Pillars of Performance. She looks forward to racing for a team that strives for more.
“Being on a team that puts these elements first is very exciting,” she says. “They help me perform at my best, both physically and mentally. They help me overcome obstacles. Having that stress put aside by a team that values these elements is hugely important and will lead to more success.”
Coles-Lyster knows the importance of balance in an athlete’s life, and knows without it, female athletes can struggle to find success
“You see a lot of female athletes go down some slippery slopes,” she explains. “Maybe they’re really good for a season but then they get completely burnt out and that is sad to see. For our long-term health and performance, balance with the Pillars is crucial.
Coles-Lyster started practicing yoga ten years ago and became a teacher in the discipline.
“No matter where I am, it’s a routine I have before bed. No matter what time zone I’m in, it adds structure and familiarity to my day,” she says. “As I trained as a teacher, I fell in love with the breath work and mindfulness more than the physical practice. I can feel those effects when I am riding, with breathwork rhythm and emotion regulation, addressing anxieties before races, and using visualization work to prepare for racing sprints.”
With so many focuses, 2024 has been a “rollercoaster of emotion” for Coles-Lyster but it is a year that has cemented her love for the bike. She will now focus on road racing and developing her Classics abilities, with her positioning and energy management skills honed on the track.
“We will focus with Maggie in the Classics but she will also be super strong in Daria’s lead-out,” says Kenny Latomme, Team Manager. “Maggie can place herself really well and this is what is needed. Of course she did well in Gent-Wevelgem and if you do well in a tough race like this then there are plenty of chances for her to shine.”
Off the bike, Coles-Lyster is finishing up a Bachelor of Health Sciences and jokes that she is a “passionate gym bro.” A coffee lover, she grew up show jumping and switches saddle types in the off-season.
“Maybe I’ll be the first cycling-show jumping dual-Olympian,” she ends.
