Last year at the Tour of Bright two 19-year-old riders, Jack Ward and Talia Appleton, set heads turning when they charged up Tawonga Gap on the opening stage to claim victory. Now a year later both are heading into the new season with development team contracts, Ward with Lidl-Trek Future and Talia Appleton with the Liv AlUla Jayco Continental team while the overall winner in 2024, Alli Anderson, is also joining Appleton at the Australian squad.
This three-stage race in the high country of Victoria is one where opportunity knocks. For a start there is testing terrain across the event with two summit finishes and a time trial. Then there is also the unique combination of domestic riders eager to prove they have what it takes against those that have already sealed their pathway with development team contracts and also the sprinkling of professionals that line up while back in Australia from Europe.
