Ariane Bonhomme and Maggie Coles-Lyster claim wins at Tucson Bicycle Classic

Canadians nab final stage and overall victory over three days of early season racing in Arizona

Terry McKall March 8, 2022

After three days in Arizona, two Canadian racers emerged victorious at the Tucson Bicycle Classic. Canadian Olympian Ariane Bonhomme claimed the G.C. title. Maggie Coles-Lyster won the final circuit race, adding to her earlier victory in the road race.

Bonhomme battles numbers to hold TT advantage

Arianne Bonhomme (The Cyclery Racing) took a lead early in the three-day Tucson Bicycle Classic. The Canadian used her skills from the track, where she represented Canada as part of the Women’s Pursuit squad in Tokyo 2020, to take the lead in Friday’s individual time trial. From there, she and Cyclery teammate Caileigh Filmer defended that lead against the larger teams in the race.

Bonhomme finished third behind Coles-Lyster (DNA Pro Cycling) and New Zealand’s Rylee McMullen (InstaFund Racing) in the Stage 2 road race. In the final event, a circuit race, Bonhomme conceded four seconds of her advantage, finishing 10th, but held on to the overall victory.

Coles-Lyster doubles up on stage wins

Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Maggie Coles-Lyster nabbed a pair of wins over three stages in Tucson. Like Bonhomme, she parlayed track success into speed on the open road. The DNA Pro Cycling rider made a big impact on the UCI Track Champions League over the winter in the sprint events. In Arizona, Coles-Lyster used her powerful acceleration to take the win in the road race.

On Sunday, she repeated that result with a win in the circuit race, finishing ahead of fellow B.C. racer Holly Simonson (Red Truck Racing). InstaFund, a B.C.-based UCI Continental team found the podium again, putting Heidi Franz in third, just ahead of U.S. mountain biker Chloe Woodruff (CZRacing/CycleHaus).

The pair of wins was enough to launch Coles-Lyster into second on G.C., 13 seconds behind Bonhomme.

Holly Simonson (Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes) placed 11th overall after three days of racing. She was followed by Josephine Peloquin of the Canadian-French UCI Continental team Emotional.fr Tornatech GSC Blagnac VS31. Holly Henry (InstaFund Racing) and Kaitlyn Rauwerda (DNA Pro Cycling) in 17th adn 19th, made for six Canadians in the top-20 in Tucson.

Results: 2022 Tucson Bicycle Classic

GC (Top-20)

1	BONHOMME, Ariane	The Cyclery Racing	05:59:18.690	00:00:00
2	COLES-LYSTER, Maggie	DNA Pro Cycling Team	05:59:32.110	-00:00:13
3	MCMULLEN, Rylee	InstaFund Racing	05:59:32.910	-00:00:14
4	CLEVENGER, Erica	DNA Pro Cycling Team	05:59:45.320	-00:00:26
5	PENUELA, Diana	DNA Pro Cycling Team	05:59:46.080	-00:00:27
6	FRANZ, Heidi	InstaFund Racing	05:59:52.260	-00:00:33
7	ONEILL, Cara	UA Cycling	05:59:58.390	-00:00:39
8	BARRERA, Anet	DNA Pro Cycling Team	06:00:00.310	-00:00:41
9	ESQUEDA, Susej	SDBC Powered by Bonnici Law Group p/b UC Cyclery	06:00:03.830	-00:00:45
10	PAYER, Kira	DNA Pro Cycling Team	06:00:04.570	-00:00:45
11	SIMONSON, Holly	Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes	06:00:06.780	-00:00:48
12	MRUGAL, Allison	Cardinal Classic Cycling	06:00:09.060	-00:00:50
13	HENRY, Meghan		06:00:15.790	-00:00:57
14	PELOQUIN, Josephine	Emotional.fr Tornatech GSC Blagnac VS31	06:00:18.530	-00:00:59
15	HOWDEN, Florence	Cardinal Classic Cycling	06:00:19.650	-00:01:00
16	KARAGIANIS, Daphne	DNA Pro Cycling Team	06:00:19.900	-00:01:01
17	HENRY, Holly	InstaFund Racing	06:00:24.050	-00:01:05
18	ACKERLUND, Erika		06:00:26.380	-00:01:07
19	RAUWERDA, Kaitlyn	DNA Pro Cycling Team	06:00:28.600	-00:01:09
20	WARD, Maddy	InstaFund Racing	06:00:36.890	-00:01:18

Circuit Race (Stage 3)

1	Maggie COLES-LYSTER	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:22.
2	Holly SIMONSON	Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes	2:10:22.
3	Heidi FRANZ	InstaFund Racing	2:10:23.
4	Chloe WOODRUFF	CZracing/Bicycle Haus	2:10:23.
5	Allison MRUGAL	Cardinal Classic Cycling	2:10:26.
6	Rylee MCMULLEN	InstaFund Racing	2:10:26.
7	Diana PENUELA	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:26.
8	Florence HOWDEN	Cardinal Classic Cycling	2:10:27.
9	Jane TULLIS	Robson Forensic P/B Extra Sweet	2:10:27.
10	Ariane BONHOMME	The Cyclery Racing	2:10:27.
11	Daphne KARAGIANIS	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:28.
12	Susej ESQUEDA	SDBC Powered by Bonnici Law Group p/b UC Cyclery	2:10:28.
13	Josephine PELOQUIN	Emotional.fr Tornatech GSC Blagnac VS31	2:10:29.
14	Erica CLEVENGER	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:29.
15	Morgan STERN	Cardinal – Classic Cycling	2:10:29.
16	Cara ONEILL	UA Cycling	2:10:30.
17	Brenna PAULY	Red Truck Racing pb/ Mosiac Homes	2:10:30.
18	Erika ACKERLUND		2:10:34.
19	Maddy WARD	InstaFund Racing	2:10:35.
20	Anet BARRERA	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:37.
21	Kira PAYER	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:38.
22	Meghan HENRY		2:10:38.
23	Paige KOSTANECKI	ButcherBox Cycling	2:10:38.
24	Holly HENRY	InstaFund Racing	2:10:39.
25	Kaitlyn RAUWERDA	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:39.
26	Rebecca RICHARDS	Storey Racing	2:10:39.
27	Kimberly LUCIE	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:10:45.
28	Sydney BERRY	Team Illuminate	2:10:58.
29	Brenna WRYE-SIMPSON	DNA Pro Cycling Team	2:11:13.
30	Doris SCHWEIZER	InstaFund Racing	2:17:43.
31	Helena CONEY	InstaFund Racing	2:17:43.
32	Caileigh FILMER	Cyclery Racing	2:17:43.