“I couldn’t be prouder” – Geraint Thomas hails Josh Tarling’s Vuelta stage podium days after brother Finlay’s death
CyclingSaturday, 22 August 2026 at 20:14
Geraint Thomas paid tribute to Josh Tarling after the Netcompany INEOS rider finished third on the opening stage of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana, little more than a week after the death of his younger brother Finlay. Tarling also took the first white jersey of the race after producing one of the fastest rides through Monaco.
Finlay Tarling, 19, died following a collision during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. Josh subsequently decided to start the Vuelta with the support of his family and team, and Thomas explained why returning to the routine of professional racing had been so important to the Welshman.
Thomas explains why Tarling wanted to race
Tarling had arrived in Monaco as one of the leading contenders for the opening time trial, having already won a stage against the clock at the Tour de France earlier in the season.
His circumstances changed completely following the death of his brother, but Thomas revealed that Tarling was keen to remain with the team and continue with the plans he had made for the Vuelta.
“It’s just great to have [Josh Tarling] here. He was really keen to ride,” Thomas told TNT Sports. “He just wanted to get back to the day job, take comfort in the process, being around the team, everything being as normal as possible. So we fully backed him, and it’s great to have him here.”
The former Tour de France winner made clear that the decision had been led by Tarling himself, with Netcompany INEOS supporting his wish to return to racing rather than placing expectations on his result.
Tarling responded by completing the technical 9.4-kilometre course in 11:01.33, moving into the lead ahead of fellow Briton Callum Thornley.
“Obviously it’s been unimaginable what he’s gone through the last week, so to put in a performance like that at the end of the week he’s had is fantastic,” Thomas said. “It shows the class of him as an athlete and a person. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Tarling takes podium and white jersey in Monaco
In Monaco, Tarling completed the technical 9.4-kilometre course in 11:01.33, moving into the lead ahead of fellow Briton Callum Thornley. The performance briefly put him in position to take the opening red jersey before Ethan Hayter went faster. Tadej Pogacar then denied Hayter victory by just 0.09 seconds, leaving Tarling third on the stage and four seconds behind the new overall leader.
“Obviously it’s been unimaginable what he’s gone through the last week, so to put in a performance like that at the end of the week he’s had is fantastic,” Thomas said. “It shows the class of him as an athlete and a person. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Tarling also moved to the top of the young rider classification, one second ahead of Thornley. Leo Bisiaux and Oscar Chamberlain occupy third and fourth, four and five seconds behind respectively.
The result gave Netcompany INEOS an immediate classification lead, while Carlos Rodriguez finished 27 seconds behind Pogacar and team leader Oscar Onley conceded around 50 seconds.
Team promises continued support throughout the Vuelta
Thomas stressed that Tarling would continue to have the backing of his teammates and staff as the race progressed. “We’ll just continue to be normal around him and support him as best we can,” he said. “It’s the start of hopefully a great trip for these eight boys on the bus.”
The Vuelta continues with a 214.3-kilometre road stage from Monaco to Manosque, where Tarling will start in the white jersey and fourth seconds behind Pogacar in the overall standings.
A further opportunity against the clock follows on Stage 18, with an individual time trial of approximately 32 kilometres between El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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