Maggie Coles-Lyster’s remarkable return to the top of the sport continues with Human Powered Health, as the Canadian champion renews her contract through 2028.
The 27-year-old has become a key part of Human Powered Health’s sprinting ambitions, and in 2026 she scored her first professional victory at the Schwalbe Women’s One Day Classic in Australia, a second Canadian road title and her first WorldTour podiums, including a second-place stage finish at the Giro d’Italia Women.
“I’m really happy to renew with the team,” she said. “Seeing the steps we’ve taken and the progress we’ve made over the past two years has been phenomenal, and I’m excited to continue being a part of this wave as the team keeps growing. There is also something to be said about continuing to work with familiar faces and in a familiar environment that’s easy and comfortable.”
That sense of continuity comes at an important moment in Coles-Lyster’s career. She entered 2026 with plenty to prove after undergoing surgery in 2025 for iliac artery endofibrosis, a condition that had interrupted her progression and left significant questions about what a return to racing would look like. Instead, she has produced the strongest road season of her career.
“There is a whole mixture of feelings. This has been my comeback year from iliac artery endofibrosis, so to be so successful so soon has honestly been a bit of a relief,” explains Coles-Lyster. “You go into a surgery like that with so many questions like ‘will I be able to come back to a good level?’ so to do it and come back better than before is a great feeling.”
Throughout the season, her bounceback ability has become a testament to who Coles-Lyster is as a rider, as a person, and the team of staff around her.
“Maggie’s comeback has been one of the great stories of our season,” says Ro De Jonckere, General Manager. “To come back from double iliac artery surgery and perform at the level she has is a huge achievement, and a testament to her determination and character.”
The comeback has also changed her expectations.
“At the same time it’s all just left me wanting more,” says Coles-Lyster. “The year started on a high, and since the middle of the season I’ve been more consistent than I’ve ever been before, so my standards and expectations for myself have changed and I’m excited to build on this.”
That ambition is already clear. Coles-Lyster has her sights set on the biggest breakthrough still missing from her palmarès, a WorldTour victory.
“A big goal is a World Tour win,” says Coles-Lyster. “I’ve gotten closer this year with my first World Tour podiums, and there’s still Chongming Island to come, but I want that win.”
That drive is reflected in her racing style.
“Maggie is so much more than her results. She is an incredibly smart racer, a fantastic team player and someone who naturally brings energy and motivation to the group,” says De Jonckere. “She understands racing, she reads situations well, and she is always willing to put herself on the line for her teammates. We have seen some really strong results from her this year, and we believe there is still another level to come. We are very happy to keep Maggie with us and to continue building with her over the next two seasons.”
Yearly visits to the Human Powered Health Performance Labs in Boston have also given Coles-Lyster and the performance staff detailed information to build her training and preparation, from fitness and strength testing to DEXA body-composition scans.
“It’s really cool to have facilities where we can literally test everything,” she said. “All of this is really important information to have for coaches, doctors, dietitians, and yourself when building plans.”
The team environment is also an important factor, as well as [ed. Excuse the pun] the sprinting qualities of the Factor Bikes she races upon, particularly the Factor ONE aero road bike.
“I think my confidence in my racing over the two years I’ve been with the team has really developed a lot,” she said. “Having the team backing me, learning so much from Magnus, like, all those pieces have really just come together to allow me to have such good performances and just really grow as a sprinter.”
That growth is now the foundation for the next chapter. From recovering from a potentially career-defining setback to wearing the Maple Leaf jersey again and challenging the best sprinters in the WorldTour, Coles-Lyster has already shown what is possible.
Photos: GettySport, HPHCycling
