The elite women’s road race at the Australian Road National Championships has become a proving ground for emerging talent, but in Perth this time the outcome was shaped as much by control as by courage. On a hot afternoon in Kings Park, a dominant Liv AlUla Jayco squad executed a measured plan, and Mackenzie Coupland finished it off with a perfectly judged solo move to claim both the elite and under-23 national titles.
Over 109km on the rolling Kings Park circuit, the race never truly settled. Attacks came in waves, gaps stretched and snapped back, but the favourites never lost sight of the bigger picture. When Coupland finally committed on the final lap, it was with full confidence that the race behind her was already under control.
Women’s race: patience, pressure and a decisive final lap
From the opening kilometres, the pattern was clear. Liv AlUla Jayco were willing to let a break go, but only on their terms. That came early when Josie Talbot slipped clear alongside Katelyn Nicholson and Ruby Taylor. The trio built an advantage of over a minute, but unlike last year’s edition on the same circuit, the peloton never allowed it to grow into something unmanageable.
Behind, the responsibility fell unevenly. With Liv AlUla Jayco represented at the front, teams such as AG Insurance-Soudal and Lidl-Trek were forced to burn riders to keep the gap honest in the rising heat. The pace told, and by the time the race entered its final third, the break’s margin was already shrinking.
Talbot pressed on alone after Nicholson dropped back, riding strongly into the final laps. It was at this point that Coupland made her move from the peloton. Initially, the intention was pragmatic rather than ambitious. She bridged across to Nicholson, then continued on to Talbot, still thinking in terms of protecting the team’s advantage rather than chasing personal glory.
That calculation changed quickly.
“I was very hesitant when I caught Josie and she told me to go,” Coupland explained. “It wasn’t until I saw one of our staff about 500 metres later telling me to just go. That’s when I switched.”
Once she committed, there was no hesitation. Coupland rolled straight past Talbot and settled into her own rhythm, using the technical sections and short rises through Kings Park to keep the chasing group at bay. Behind her, a select trio formed with Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Neve Bradbury and Nicholson briefly threatening to bring her back. But with Roseman-Gannon sitting in as a protected finisher, the chase never fully organised.
Coupland’s advantage stabilised at around 30 seconds, and despite the heat and the rising pace behind, her tempo never faltered. She crossed the line just under three hours after the start, disbelief written across her face, to become the new Australian champion on home roads.
“I knew I had really strong teammates behind me,” she said. “Even if I did get caught, we had options. That gave me the confidence to fully commit.”
Roseman-Gannon won the sprint for second ahead of Bradbury, completing a near-perfect day for Liv AlUla Jayco, while Nicholson held on impressively for fourth after her long spell off the front.
Photo Credit: Zac WilliamsAustralian elite women’s road race 2026 result
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Main photo credit: Chris Auld
