Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Maggie Coles-Lyster added another Commonwealth Games medal to her collection on Sunday. The Olympian grabbed bronze in the women’s elimination race to take her second career podium at the event.
Coles-Lyster, who has had a great season on the road this year with her WorldTour squad, Human Powered Health, hasn’t raced for a while, but it didn’t take long for her to show she’s still an ace on the boards. A crash on Saturday may have stolen some skin, but the powerful Canuck bounced back to take third on Sunday.
Coles-Lyster’s 2026: Yes, call it a comeback
The result continues an impressive comeback season for Coles-Lyster. After undergoing iliac artery surgery last year, she returned to racing in top form, including the Canadian elite women’s road race title in June. And she defo did the new kit proud. In her first race wearing the national champion’s kit, she finished third at the Argenta Classic–Deurne in Belgium.
The medal in Glasgow
“I’m really happy. I had a career changing surgery last year, so this has been my comeback year, and it’s also been my best season ever,” Coles-Lyster said. “Coming into these Games I thought, ‘don’t leave without a medal,’ so today was my last chance to make that happen and I’m really happy I did. To get the job done in the elimination today, my favourite event, was a great feeling and a big sigh of relief.”
This is Coles-Lyster’s second Commonwealth Games bronze medal after finishing third in the women’s scratch race in 2022. At those Games she also placed fifth in the road race.
There were no road events in Glasgow after the Games were moved there at the last minute when Victoria, Australia, withdrew as host. With little time to and a reduced budget to organize road closures, events such as road cycling, triathlon and the marathon were left off the program, but there was still plenty of track cycling action. Sunday marked the final day of competition. You can find the full results here.