Maggie Coles-Lyster claimed her first WorldTour podium, sprinting to a strong second-place finish on Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia Women after the 160 km race from Ala to Brescello.
The 27-year-old positioned herself perfectly on the wheel of stage winner Elisa Balsamo (Lidl – Trek), confidently launching her move in the technical finish, with only Balsamo coming around her. Lead-out rider Lily Williams then came home in eighth, her third top-ten of the race.
The result marks the Canadians third podium of 2026, continuing her impressive return from season-ending surgery in 2025 to combat FLIA (Flow Limitation of the Iliac Artery).
“This is a dream result at this point,” Coles-Lyster said afterwards. “I know I have the skills to ride a finish like that, and the smarts, and so I just feel so validated by that. The team were instrumental all day, like we have all been for each other all these days so far.”
The team of Coles-Lyster, Williams, Barbara Malcotti, Thalita de Jong, Nina Buijsman, Carlotta Cipressi, and Marit Raaijmakers once again showed fearsome togetherness both in the lead-out and in a midstage chase in the crosswinds.
“We have a really good attitude on the team right now, and I think that’s translating really well into racing because we’re flowing together so well,” Coles-Lyster beams. “We’re communicating really well. We’re helping each other really well, and it just feels super seamless working together and telling each other what we need.”
Atop her Factor ONE aero bike, Coles-Lyster devised her sprint tactics five kilometers from the line, finding the wheel of Balsamo early on and then utilising her teammates for protection into a crucial final S bend.
“There was a lot of chaos as predicted through that last kilometer with the roundabouts and multiple corners,” explains Coles-Lyster. “There ended up being a gap behind us, which was perfect. We could just cruise through those last corners, and then it was all about focussing on winning that last S bend and trying to hold onto the line. She came around, but that’s sprinting.”
With her background in track and criterium racing, Coles-Lyster is well versed in technical finales.
“You just get absolutely in the zone,” she explains. “You just block out everything. I don’t play video games, but if I did play video games, I’d imagine that’s what playing a video game is like. You’re just in a flow state. I love it.”
Crosswinds threatened to cause havoc earlier in the stage when the race blew apart, passing through a narrow town before an open plain. Initially, Coles-Lyster missed the split, but alongside Cipressi and de Jong, she fought back to the front echelon containing Williams. The rest of the team then followed the chasing wheels, with the peloton eventually re-forming before the final sprint.
“I was with Vollering and Longo Borghini and a bunch of other riders who I knew were just going to fight to get back into that front group, so it really didn’t feel that stressful,” she says. “Those riders had some teammates and were definitely going to pull it back. Of course, there was the moment of panic when echelons were established, but it all pretty much felt under control.”
The race now heads towards its conclusion with a rolling day followed by a weekend in the mountains. Stage 7 could be a day for opportunists. A gradual climb followed by a technical descent in the back third of the stage should encourage breakaway riders hopeful to carve out their own piece of Giro glory.
Giro d’Italia Women stage 6 results
1 BALSAMO Elisa – Lidl – Trek 3:54:02
2 COLES-Lyster Maggie – Human Powered Health ”
3 BAKER Georgia – Liv AlUla Jayco ”
4 GERY Célia – FDJ United – SUEZ ”
5 CONSONNI Chiara – CANYON//SRAM ”
6 VERHULST-WILD Gladys – AG Insurance – Soudal Team ”
7 GILLESPIE Lara – UAE Team ADQ ”
8 WILLIAMS Lily – Human Powered Health ”
9 ZAMBELLI Alessia – Top Girls Fassa Bortolo ”
10 VOLSTAD Alexandra – EF Education-Oatly ”
Stage Gallery
Photos: GettySport
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