Canada’s Maggie Coles-Lyster incredibly claimed the Vanguard Women’s One Day Race on the streets of Tanunda after overcoming a 2025 health crisis and two laps after crashing on Wednesday.
It was the 26-year-old Human Powered Health's biggest ProSeries win, having claimed the national road title for Canada in 2022.
Her return to the top of cycling’s podium was buoyed by successful iliac artery surgery last year.
“I crashed with two laps to go, and I tried the whole week just to try and be calm,” Coles-Lyster said.
“It’s just sinking in, the pressure, it really felt like a criterium, and I love that racing.
“I felt like this was my happy place, there were lots of attacks, and it was really punchy.
“People were expecting me to be a bit tired after the TDU, but that wasn’t the case out there.
“The number of good Canadian riders right now on the podium and winning is really inspiring the nation, like (ice) hockey is the primary sport.
“Now cycling is very much on the radar.”
The final lap saw several of the favourites suddenly up the ante, which saw crashes about 1.4km from the Tanunda finish line.
However, the favoured sprinters remained unscathed before Coles-Lyster was the absolute best in a bunch sprint finish, claiming it took her 4km after the crash to get back to the peloton.
After making history when every UCI WorldTeam cycling outfit was in South Australia for the first time for the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under, Tanunda farewelled the best female riders on the planet until next year.
They did 12 laps of an 8.5km circuit after the men ended the Tour Down Under’s Vanguard Stage 1 earlier in the afternoon.
The UCI ProSeries peloton was missing seven starters from the Santos Women’s Tour Under, including two-time stage winner Ally Wollaston (FDJ United - SUEZ), and 11 starters abandoned the race.
The race was highlighted by five Ziptrak Sprints before the grand final at the same point on Murray Street, Tanunda.
The sprint queens shared the honours throughout the afternoon, including three-time Santos Tour Down Under champion Amanda Spratt.
Italy’s Alessia Vigilia claimed the Ziptrak sprint classification with eight points when she took out the final intermediate sprint of the race, ahead of Spratt in fourth place.
The UnoX – Mobility star had a great week in SA after winning the efex Queen of the Mountain jersey after the Ziptrak Women’s Stage 1 Willunga to Willunga, riding solo in front for more than 90km.
Lidl Trek’s Clara Copponi claimed the Women’s One Day classic last year, but the French sprinter will start her new season in Spain on Saturday.
