Talia Appleton is fully committed to her cycling career after surprising herself in 2025
Youri IJnsen
Anyone who had predicted at the start of 2025 that Talia Appleton would be a podium contender in the Tour de l’Avenir and a top-10 finish at the U23 World Championships in Rwanda would have thought she was crazy. Her results in 2024 were anything but. But after winning a race in the UCI World Gravel Series, things took off for the 20-year-old Australian. She tells her story at Escape Collective.
Talia Appleton has been a household name in Australia for some time, but in 2025, the 20-year-old rider from Mansfield, Victoria, truly broke through on the international stage. With a third-place finish in the Tour de l’Avenir and a top-10 finish at the first U23 World Championships in Rwanda, she established herself among the great talents of women's cycling. "It feels a bit strange to be among WorldTour riders," laughs Appleton. "A year ago, I was just trying to beat the time limit."
Appleton grew up in a family where cycling was a given. "My parents both cycle, and my dad is really crazy about it. So I was on a bike from an early age," she says. She started mountain biking at eight, but on her tenth birthday, she got her first road bike. "It was almost a tradition: my brother got one too when he turned ten. From that moment on, I was hooked." It wasn't until she stopped swimming around fourteen that it became clear she wanted to fully commit to cycling. "That's when I knew: this is it. I really want to be good at this."
Gamechanger
Through the Australian national circuit, she secured a two-year contract with Liv AlUla Jayco Continental, the development team for the Australian WorldTeam. The Tour de l'Avenir last summer was the gamechanger. "I was really surprised," she says of her third-place finish in the general classification. "I only had the prologue as my goal, because those climbs suit me. But when I saw I could hold onto the top 10 among WorldTour riders, I thought: wow, maybe I belong here."
She considers her second place in the final uphill time trial her greatest achievement to date. "That day I felt incredibly strong. That was the moment I realized: I can compete with the best." But initially, World Championship selection wasn't in the cards, because the Tour de l'Avenir didn't count towards the selection process. Eventually, she received a call-up, but had to pay for the trip herself. "I started a crowdfunding campaign, and within a week the money was in. That felt really special; so many people wanted to support me."
In Rwanda, she then finished ninth in the first standalone World Championship for women's U23. "I knew the course would suit me. Of course, I wanted more, but I'm proud of that result. And the experience was amazing. The atmosphere, the people, the huge crowds along the road... it was something I'll never forget." Appleton's star is on the rise, despite training primarily in the cold parts of her home state of Victoria in Australia. Despite this, she never lost the motivation to pursue her dream, even in sometimes wintry conditions.
Yellow Jersey and Flèche Wallonne
Starting next season, Appleton will be based in Europe. Girona, Spain, will be her new home. "There are many other Aussies living there, so that makes the transition easier," she says. "Next year will be my first full season in Europe. I want to gain experience, learn, and develop myself as a rider and as a person. What am I dreaming of? Everyone dreams of yellow jersey in the Tour de France. That would be incredible. But if I could ever win Flèche Wallonne, that would be amazing too. That last climb (Muur van Huy, ed.) looks like pure agony. And that's exactly what I love about this sport. When you love something so much, every effort is worth it."
Talia Appleton| Year | Team |
|---|---|
| 2027 | |
| 2026 | |
| 2025 | |
| 2024 |
