Perth cyclist Mackenzie Coupland is the second 20-year-old rookie in a row to claim the Australian road cycling championship.<\/p>\n
After fellow Liv AlUla Jayco rider Lucy Stewart was the shock champion last year in Perth, Coupland made a well-timed attack on Sunday for the solo win at the nationals.<\/p>\n
But unlike last year, when an unheralded rider won because the favourites let the break gain too much of a lead, this time it was a case of a young rider’s initiative and first-rate team tactics deciding the race.<\/p>\n
WA Premier Roger Cook sought a selfie after the podium presentation with Coupland, who is in her first season as a WorldTour cyclist and also won the under-23 category.<\/p>\n
Capping the race for Liv AlUla Jayco, Coupland’s teammate Ruby Roseman-Gannon, who won the criterium title two days ago, outsprinted Neve Bradbury (Canyon SRAM) for second place.<\/p>\n
And another Liv AlUla Jayco rider, Josie Talbot, was in a three-rider break that stayed away until late in the pulsating race.<\/p>\n
It was only when Coupland caught Talbot early on the last of the eight laps in the 109-kilometre race that the youngster decided to go for the win.<\/p>\n
“I first thought I would back Josie \u2026 I look up to her quite a bit,” Coupland said.<\/p>\n
“I was very hesitant when I caught Josie and she told me to go.<\/p>\n
“It wasn’t until I saw one of our staff on the side of the road, 500 metres after that, telling me to just go \u2014 that’s when I switched and I just have to start now.<\/p>\n
“I still really don’t believe it. I just can’t get my head around it.”<\/p>\n
Coupland had attacked from the peloton with Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon SRAM) late in the race, initially thinking she would try to help Talbot at the front.<\/p>\n
Talbot broke away in the first 20km and was joined by Ruby Taylor (Team Redcat) and Katelyn Nicholson (Butterfields Ziptrack).<\/p>\n
They built a lead of more than a minute on the peloton, but were never allowed a bigger gap in the hot conditions.<\/p>\n
Everyone was mindful of last year’s nationals debut on the Kings Park circuit, when the elite women let the break build too big a gap and it was able to stay clear.<\/p>\n
After Taylor dropped off the front, Talbot broke clear of Nicholson with 14km left. Nicholson would hold on to finish fourth.<\/p>\n
Talbot was on her own at the front when Coupland arrived and quickly went past her.<\/p>\n
In the men’s race, Pat Eddy caused a massive boilover, defying the might of Jayco AlUla to win the his first elite national road championships.<\/p>\n
Eddy held off Jayco AlUla star Luke Plapp at the finish to take out the 177km road race.<\/p>\n
Jayco AlUla will be kicking themselves, given they had defending champion Luke Durbridge off the front by himself for most of the last three laps in the 13-circuit race.<\/p>\n
Eddy and fellow Team Brennan rider Oliver Bleddyn, a gold medallist in the team pursuit at the Paris Olympics, then duelled with Plapp and Jayco AlUla teammate Ben O’Connor on the last lap.<\/p>\n
Durbridge faded and was caught near the finish, leaving Eddy and Plapp to decide the championship.<\/p>\n