"It was a decision that was made on the road and it’s done" - Steaming Ian Stannard on Joshua Tarling's Paris-Roubaix disqualification
Cycling
Ian Stannard was one of the most experienced cobbled classics riders in the peloton and nowadays he leads INEOS Grenadiers in the team car. However, a poor decision at Paris-Roubaix saw the team's young prospect Joshua Tarling get disqualified, and Stannard was not pleased with the situation.
Tarling's aspirations for a result were realistic, taking into consideration his sixth spot at Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Top20 at the much tougher and hillier Tour of Flanders. The European time-trial champion started Roubaix as a dangerous outsider as his physique is well suited to the race, and he himself started the event with a massive 62-tooth chainring.
However the race did not go his way. He was involved, albeit just slightly in the mass crash that took place in the opening hour of the race, but then with around 140 kilometers to go had a bike change and was distanced from the peloton with no convoy inbetween. The gap could not be closed by himself, but the poor decision was made for Tarling to get an extended tow - or 'sticky bottle' - from the INEOS Grenadiers car where Stannard was in. A few kilometers later, Tarling was disqualified and visibly angry.
"It was a decision that was made on the road and it’s done. There we are. It's just a racing circumstance and that’s it," Stannard said in words to GCN and Cyclingnews. "It’s a racing circumstance. He’s had a bike change and that’s it. You’re not getting any more from me." The team missed out on a result this Sunday; Tom Pidcock was present in the front groups but ultimately rode to a 17th place on the day.
Read also
The problem on this is that there is no real penalty. His race was already lost. By only DQing him, he is no worse off than not cheating.
To get the tow, both the rider(rookie) and the DS (experienced) should be complicit. Apparently both of them lost what little brains they had.
Definitely, it was a brilliant tactic to get the cameras on him but apparently he wanted the opposite?
"It was a decision that was made on the road and it’s done. There we are. It's just a racing circumstance and that’s it," Emm no Ian it isn't, that's what we call cheating. How embarassing would that have been if the lad had by a miracle made the top ten and then been DQ'd over this?
Why he did that? Hope he does not do that again in the future, what a rookie mistake! 🤦🏻
Of course you’re not going to get more out of him, it’s really hard for a guy, especially certain types and cyclists are prone to being like this to come out with words like CHEATING and show remorse. It’s almost like they consider it a right. How hard is it to say, yeah, we made a bad call to break a rule in difficult circumstances and were caught, it’s a fair cop. There you go, sympathy vote to you and you didn’t even have to use the big word. How many athletes have ever actually admitted to cheating whilst in competition when not caught red-handed or faced with no way to deny?
Just in
NEW: WorldTour Manager Cyclinguptodate.com (FREE)
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Popular news
Latest comments
- Jonas won T-A last tear and wanted to do P-N this year. Jorgensen also wanted to do it, he declined every si gle opportunity to be a solo leader, eevry stage race Jonas doesn't do, Girovappaxbipmv16-03-2025
- I agree, he either needs a surprise attack in the final, win a sprint or just somehow overpower everyonevappaxbipmv16-03-2025
- Did old man Bruyneel make this point before Jonas crashed out?Renz16-03-2025
- Good win for Ayuso. He has appeared a bit inconsistent on mountain stages in the past; absolutely brilliant on some but then cracking on others.Cooldude16-03-2025
- A little caution is understandable. Just ask Roglic.Cooldude16-03-2025
- Jorgenson needs races to improve, he won Paris Nice last year, he should have been given open rein this year. He rode his guts out for Jonas last year, Jonas just needs to build form for the Tour. Give Matteo a race without a co captain.awp16-03-2025
- Exactly. Two leaders of this caliber at the same race makes no sense.Pedalmasher16-03-2025
- Jonas attacking Matteo< who was the GC leader, on the first summit finish was ridiculous! Karma came back and bit JV in the a$$ !frieders316-03-2025
- Pidcocks Ineos Grenadier? Nice proofing lolmij16-03-2025
- Agreed. Why have these two together? Give Jorgenson his own race. They have no one in Italy for GC that’s legit and provenmij16-03-2025