UCI Track Champions League - Maggie Coles-Lyster It was unlike anything I had ever raced before - EurosportMenuMost Popular SportsAll SportsShow All

UCI Track Champions League - Maggie Coles-Lyster It was unlike anything I had ever raced before

In an exclusive interview with Eurosport Maggie Coles-Lyster revealed she enjoyed the purity of the inaugural UCI Track Champions League describing it as unlike anything I had ever raced before She finished fourth last year and could cause an upset in the Women s Endurance League against the likes of Olympic champions Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald

Scratch Race Explained: Early attacks, endurance & bunch sprints 00:02:01AdvertisementPublished 12/11/2022 at 09:05 GMTMaggie Coles-Lyster says last year’s UCI Track Champions League was “unlike anything” she had raced before and has “a lot more confidence” going into this year’s event.Coles-Lyster finished fourth overall in the Women’s Endurance League after winning the Scratch Race in Mallorca before having two mixed events in London.The second edition of the Track Champions League begins on November 12, where Coles-Lyster will be hoping to challenge .“It surpassed all of my expectations,” Coles-Lyster told Eurosport. “It was unlike anything I had ever raced before. “It's just like, ‘It's bike racing’ is what I came away from it saying. This is what all bike racing should be. “Just exhilarating atmospheres, riders who want to beat each other up and win. It was the most exciting track racing I've ever done in my life.“You have to think, even the most experienced bike racers have to think because you never know what's going to be thrown at you. “You take racers away from their nations and the other riders are all you have for friends for that whole month of racing so you get different levels of friendship with these people.”'What a steal!' - Coles-Lyster takes upset victory in scratch raceThe endurance riders battle it out over a scratch race and elimination race at each round, collecting points in a bid to become champion.The scratch race is just 20 laps, which is shorter than what the riders face at other track cycling events during the year.“I think that one really, really changes it up for the endurance riders and having just the two races that are a bit shorter, and have an hour between them, also challenges endurance riders in a different way,” explained Coles-Lyster. “You kind of have to adapt more of a sprinter's brain because it's different tactics than just who has the best aerobic system and who can last the longest throughout all the races."Coles-Lyster has had a strong 2022, winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games and was crowned American Criterium Cup champion.The 23-year-old feels she is a more developed bike rider 12 months on from the inaugural UCI Track Champions League.“I have a lot more confidence than I had going into the racing last year,” she added. “I have results behind me. “I know what I need to do in a sprint to win a race and I know where I belong. I think those kind of elements for me are the biggest keys that will help me move forward and be even better this year.”- - -After a great debut season, the UCI Track Champions League is back for season two, with Laura Kenny joining the party. You can watch it all live and on demand on . We will have extensive coverage across eurosport.com and the first race is in Mallorca on Saturday Nov 12, with the action starting at 5:30pm UK time.Related TopicsShare this articleAdvertisementAdvertisement