Maggie Coles-Lyster is looking for her first road race win Europe–and boy oh boy, she came close twice at the Thüringen Ladies Tour. The Roland rider had two podiums at the six-day stage race in Germany.
She’s a multiple national champion and world champion due to her fantastic sprint. Coles-Lyster showed that she is using that speed on the road. She was third on Stage 3, and second in Stage 6.
The final stage, Schmalkalden, was 105.4km and Coles-Lyster was centimetres from the win.
“Painfully close! It was an epic final stage. Rain, hail, no visibility. Up and down all day and lots of attempts at a split made by the GC girls,” the 25-year-old said. “I had magic legs all day and climbed the best I had over those 5 days, always within reach of the front climbers when we made it over the climb. By the last climb a group of about 20 of us were together over it, with 20 km to go and I knew it was likely going to come down to a bunch sprint and that I was one of the fastest sprinters in the group.”
Coles-Lyster said she had Tamara Dronova and Elena Hartmann as teammates in the group to help her out.
“It became a really fast last few kilometres with attacks launched constantly. The winner, Sandra Alonso launched her move at the perfect time when the group was stretched and managed to hold us off for the win,” she said. “A shame really, as I had one of my strongest and best timed sprints yet to win the bunch kick and take second on the day. Step by step we’re getting closer to that dub!”
After her third place on Stage 3, she was briefly second overall. Her ride was a big confidence-booster, as she continues to get better racing in the tough Euro road races.
“It’s felt like a big build up the last 1.5 years to this first European podium, which each sprint I’ve done over here getting consistently a bit closer,” she said. “I’ve known and believed I have the strength, it’s just been a matter of dialling in the timing, finding the right trains and holding my ground.”
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