Maggie Coles-Lyster exits Giro d’Italia Donne

Maggie Coles-Lyster did not start Stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia Donne, but has plenty of big races on the horizon. The 2022 national champion opted out of Tuesday’s race, a hilly 103.3-km stage from Salassa to Ceres. Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon/SRAM racing) won the day ahead of Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) and Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx). Van Vleuten is leading the Giro with four stages to go.

Coles-Lyster had been sick in May and said that she hoped that she’d be OK for Italy.

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“I was super sick with bronchitis for the weeks leading into the nationals and flew straight to the Giro after,” she explained. “Although most symptoms had cleared and we thought I could ride into some good form at the Giro, I just kept feeling worse on the bike every stage so we decided it was better to pull the plug and get some proper recovery before the track and road worlds.”

The Girona-based cyclist recently signed with Israel Premier Tech Roland after her ZAAF cycling team crumbled due to logistical and financial problems. The Maple Ridge, B.C.-born rider signed onto the Spanish squad after a stressful off-season, where she, along with other riders, found themselves hung to dry following the collapse of the French B&B Hotels team.

Despite her withdrawing from the Giro, Coles-Lyster is looking forward to the rest of the season.

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“I still have some big things ahead this season, so it’s better to put my health first and not dig myself into a hole,” she said.