Australian team Liv AlUla Jayco is fielding a stage-hunting squad for the upcoming Tour de France Femmes (August 1-9), with national champion Mackenzie Coupland earning a Tour debut in what has been a whirlwind season.
Coupland will join a varied group of breakaway specialists and sprinters that includes compatriot Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Canada's Nadia Gontova, plus the Dutch duo of Jeanne Korevaar and Silke Smulders, who have both ridden every edition of the Tour so far.
Italians Letizia Paternoster and Monica Trinca Colonel round out the squad, with the latter a talented climber and potential GC contender, though the team says their primary aim will be a win across the nine stages from Lausanne to Nice.
"We head into the Tour de France Femmes with confidence," head sports director Wim Stroetinga said. "The riders have had a strong preparation, and as a team, we are determined to make the most of every opportunity. We will take the race day by day and identify the stages where we can fight for victory. With this strong line-up, we have multiple options, both in the flatter stages and in the tougher climbing stages."
Paternoster and Roseman-Gannon will be the main options for the faster, flatter finishes, but the well-rounded team has plenty of options as the stage difficulty ramps up through the race, too.
"Across the team, we have riders who are capable of getting into breakaways and competing for stage wins from those situations. We have already highlighted several stages as key opportunities and will do everything possible to maximize our chances there," Stroetinga said.
"In some stages, we will naturally be dependent on how the race unfolds, but we have prepared different scenarios to ensure we can make the most of every situation. The riders have worked incredibly hard throughout the season and deserve a strong result. We have full confidence in their abilities and believe that, with the preparation and commitment they have shown, we can achieve the results we are aiming for."
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A lot of eyes will be on Coupland, who stepped up from the team's development squad at the start of this year and has already hugely impressed, winning the elite national title in Perth at only 20, winning the Vuelta a Extremadura overall and racing a full Classics season.
Her strength so far has earned her a debut in the biggest race of the season – her first Grand Tour of any kind – where she will be one of the youngest racers but more than capable of leaving a mark.
"To be part of the biggest race of the year is something I didn’t see myself doing this year. It also being my first Grand Tour gives me a mix of excitement and nervousness, and I can’t wait to race with such a supportive and motivated group of people," she said.
"Being able to wear the Australian national champion jersey feels really special to me, and it shows off the teamwork and determination we have in this team. It’s a dream come true to represent my country at such a prestigious level. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere of the Tour de France Femmes as it always looks so electric on the TV."
The Aussie team are yet to take a win at WorldTour level this season; in fact, they haven't won at all outside National Championships (Coupland's Extremadura win was with the development team), so a win on the highest level would be a big boon to their season.
Liv AlUla Jayco for the 2026 Tour de France Femmes
Mackenzie Coupland
Nadia Gontova
Jeanne Korevaar
Letizia Paternoster
Ruby Roseman-Gannon
Silke Smulders
Monica Trinca Colonel
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Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined Cyclingnews in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at GCN, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men's and women's Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women's cycling, and women's sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.
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