Young B.C. rider Maggie Coles-Lyster gears up for the cyclocross worlds in Zolder, Belgium

During the holiday season, when others were sitting down to their ninth serving of eggnog or sleeping away the consequences of the Christmas turkey, Maggie Coles-Lyster had bigger, more demanding things in mind—things that left the young B.C. rider with little time to relax.

With events later this month in Zolder, Belgium on her personal competitive calendar, though, it’s probably worth it for the Maple Ridge-based athlete.

Back in October, Coles-Lyster qualified for Canada’s national team and for contention at the world championships, after she took a bronze medal at the Canadian national cyclocross championships in Winnipeg. After that, she embarked on a whirlwind training regimen, aimed at honing her cyclocross skills and perfecting her style in the saddle. With a 2015 season that ended in three consecutive victories—including one at the B.C. Elite women’s cyclocross championship—that process, it appears, has been impressively successful.

Now, with the world cyclocross championships looming in Zolder, Belgium, the talented 16-year-old ‘cross specialist has even more impressive achievements in her crosshairs.

“I am excited about racing against the world’s best under-23-year-old women in my first European bike race,” Coles-Lyster said. “I am also looking forward to the experience of racing at an event in a cycling-crazy culture that can draw crowds upwards of 50,000.”

That especially prestigious European event kicks off on Jan. 30, and in the meantime, those interested in supporting Coles-Lyster’s amibitions can do so online, or by contacting localrideracing@gmail.com.