Liv AlUla Jayco is thrilled to welcome Australian talent Talia Appleton onto the WorldTour team with immediate effect.
The 20-year-old has been racing for the squad’s development team since January, and after showing a strong level with consistently high performances, the decision has been made to promote her to the elite team for the remainder of the 2026 and 2027 season.
With the support of the continental team over the past four months living overseas in Europe full time, Appleton has achieved a host of impressive top 10 results against some strong WorldTour competition, particularly over hilly terrain. The rider from Mansfield, Victoria has already had the opportunity to experience life within the elite peloton after racing up with the WorldTour squad on multiple occasions, where she has proven she is more than physically and mentally capable to compete.
The team are now eager to see what Appleton can achieve as she races out of her comfort zone. The squad is motivated to continue to nurture her raw talent and assist with her rapid upward trajectory.
The promotion displays the valuable work and success of GreenEDGE Cycling’s development pathway, and the crucial support and professionalism that young riders have access to within the Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental team environment. As of 2026, four female riders will have successfully made the step up from the Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental team into the WorldTour. (Mackenzie Coupland, Matilde Vitillo, Noä Jansen and now Talia Appleton.)
Talia Appleton:
“I’m thrilled to take the next step and turn professional with GreenEDGE Cycling. This opportunity means so much to me as racing in the WorldTour has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid.
I am incredibly grateful for the chance to have been a part of the Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team so far this season. The team’s strong focus on development has given me so many opportunities to learn, gain experience, and develop as a rider, while also helping me settle into life in Europe ahead of my first full season over here. The success the team has already achieved this year, with multiple professional victories and podiums, shows there are many exciting things ahead for all of the girls and everyone involved.
Having the chance to race up within the WorldTeam shows the clear pathway to the WorldTour and has given me a taste for what to expect in the professional peloton. Looking back at how much I have already learnt this season makes me really excited to continue developing with this team and contribute to its success. I’m very grateful to all of the staff and my teammates who have supported me so far, and I can’t wait to take on the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Wim Stroetinga – Liv AlUla Jayco Head Sport Director:
“We are very pleased with Talia’s move to the WorldTour team. We have followed her development closely during her time in the Devo team, and once again this season she has taken a clear step forward. Her climbing abilities and mindset are at a level that fully fits the demands of WorldTour racing and she will make an already strong team even stronger.
She will race with us already this week in Navarra and Itzulia, and we are really looking forward to lining up with her. For now, our focus is on guiding her well and setting out a clear long‑term development plan. The Devo team has done an excellent job supporting her so far, and we will continue that structured approach.
Talia has already shown this season that she belongs at WorldTour level. She has previously raced with us and proved that she can compete at this level, and we are confident she has the capacity to continue growing and performing in WorldTour races.”
Talia Appleton
20 years old
Victoria, Australia
2026 results:
3rd overall – Vuelta a Extremadura
7th – Clásica de Almería
7th – GP de Chambery
8th – Australian RR Championships
