INEOS Grenadiers' supertalent Joshua Tarling to make Grand Tour debut at Vuelta a Espana

Joshua Tarling is one of the many young riders that INEOS Grenadiers has invested in and perhaps the most successful one in recent years. At only 20 years of age the young Briton has already proven to be a world-class time-trialist but is a rider developing in many fields; and he will test himself out at a Grand Tour for the first time at the Vuelta a España.

It has been a sharp evolution for Tarling, who only turned 20 in February. He signed a contract and made his debut for INEOS at 18 and at 19 he won the European time-trial championships ahead of Stefan Bissegger and Wout van Aert; later on also beating Remco Evenepoel at the Chrono des Nations. Against the clock he has proven to be an almost unbeatable figure.

Recently he finished two seconds outside the podium in the Olympic Games, missing out on a medal largely due to the puncture early in his effort that ruined what was to be a time that was likely going to finish second at worst behind Evenepoel. Outside of the discipline, Tarling also showed talent in the cobbled classics this spring finishing sixth at Dwars door Vlaanderen and 17th at the Tour of Flanders.

In the Criterium du Dauphiné he put his climbing skills to the test, also showing noticeable improvement. It is clear that he is on a quick rise now on regular races as well and according to Gazzetta dello Sport's Ciro Scognamiglio, a Grand Tour debut is virtually certain at the Vuelta a España, which starts on the 17th of August in Lisbon.

Whether initially planned or not, this is a decision that makes full sense for the British team as the race starts off with a flat 12-kilometer time-trial where he should be the main favourite amidst the absence of most of the best time-trialists in the world. He would also have a chance to win on the final day into Madrid with another flat time-trial; whilst it is uncertain who the team will be backing up for the overall classification.