Expectation was ‘pretty chill’ but reality ‘got even better day by day’ – New Australian champion Mackenzie Coupland close to podium at Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

Most riders have the luxury of being a little anonymous in the neo-pro year, an unfamiliar face that blends into the crowd, but not Mackenzie Coupland. She clinched the sought-after jersey of an Australian national champion in one of her very first races of her very first season with the Women’s WorldTour Liv-AlUla-Jayco squad.

Somehow, however, it’s hard to imagine she would have blended in for long, regardless, not after the way she has started her season in Australia.

“I mean, it’s my first time doing the Aussie racing here, so I feel like the expectations were just like, pretty chill,” said Coupland after the final race of the Australian block, the women’s Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

“I know the team backed me up, and they’ve got a lot of patience with me, so I felt really supported. And then, yeah, reality, it just got even better by the day.

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“With the girls in the team. They’re just such a great group, and I feel so comfortable with them, so, yeah, it’s pretty amazing,” added Coupland, clearly getting into the team spirit, speaking while soaking wet after having just taken a little dip after her powerful Australian season-ending effort.

A group of about a dozen riders were coming toward the line, with both Coupland and teammate Ella Wyllie among them, and active in trying to get away before the line, but a strong FDJ United-SUEZ squad reeled it back in to set up the sprint for defending champion Ally Wollaston, who clinched it for a second time.

In a hard-fought race contested by every single Women’s WorldTour team for the first time in its history, Coupland and teammate Ella Wyllie had been the only duo of riders from one squad in a lead group of five.

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While that move was ultimately reeled back in, Coupland still had enough left to hit the line in fourth as well as taking the best young rider prize, a strong result that netted Liv-AlUla-Jayco its best result at its home one-day tour since Amanda Spratt, then a rider in the Australian squad, stood on the final step in 2020.

Not bad at all considering the rider who finished fourth was only riding her second WorldTour event and that this was the first opportunity for the Western Australian, who claimed the national title solo, to try her hand at a sprint at this level.

“It was a little bit unexpected,” said Coupland. “But I feel pretty happy with the performance, I just do have a lot of learning to go. I haven’t had many sprint finishes I’m able to kind of take control of for myself, it was sort of my first one.”

Though now, after being within reach of a Women’s WorldTour podium, stepping into the top tier in Europe with no option to hide doesn’t look like so daunting a prospect after all.

“The team has believed in me this whole time, and having this result in the books, I think I feel a lot more confident in myself for the season,” said Coupland.