Josh Tarling makes heartbreaking Vuelta admission a week after brother's cycling death

Josh Tarling confessed his remarkable Vuelta a España opening stage performance held little significance for him in the wake of losing his brother and fellow professional cyclist Fin Tarling. The display came mere days after Fin's heartbreaking death during the Volta a Portugal last week.

Fin, 19, was killed in a high-speed crash with a van during the eighth stage of the race last Friday. The vehicle had made its way onto the course ahead of the incident, under the impression the cyclists had already passed.

Josh chose to race in the Vuelta despite the heartbreaking news , to occupy his mind while grieving. The 22-year-old Netcompany Ineos rider took his place on the start line for the three-week Grand Tour and delivered a stunning opening day showing.

The rider battled his way into the lead with a superb effort before being forced to watch as Ethan Hayter and then Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar edged past him by the finest of margins. The Welshman came up just four seconds shy of Pogacar's victorious time.

However, following last week's heartbreaking news, the outcome held little meaning for Josh, who was embraced by Pogacar on the podium at the conclusion of the first stage.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

When questioned about what the ride meant to him, he told Eurosport: "Not a lot. No, I'm happy with it. And I'm happy I could try and get my head busy with other stuff.

"So yeah, obviously I'm happy and I'm thankful for the team and everything, to let me come and let me give it a good crack."

Legendary Welsh cyclist and Netcompany Ineos' racing director Geraint Thomas said he couldn't be prouder of him. Thomas described Tarling's grief as 'unimaginable', and said that the team would do their utmost to provide a sense of normality to help him through the coming three weeks.

"For a start, it's just great to have him here," Thomas told TNT Sport . "You know, he was really keen to ride, he just wanted to get back to the day job, so to speak, and find comfort in the process and being around the team and everything being as normal as possible. So we fully backed him with that and it's great to have him here.

"Obviously, it's been unimaginable what he's gone through the last week or so. But to put in a performance like that at the end of the week he's had is just fantastic, really, it just shows the class of him as an athlete and as a person. Couldn't be prouder.

"I think the course suited him. Technically, he's one of the best and I think yesterday was probably the first time he's ridden a bike properly in a while, so to still put that in? It's insane, really.

"We'll just continue to be normal around him and support him as best we can. It's the start of hopefully a great trip for these eight boys on the bus."

Sky's Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.