"It was a waste, for sure" - Joshua Tarling recalls heartbreak of Paris-Roubaix DQ as looks to make Opening Weekend impact

The INEOS Grenadiers went under the knife over the winter off-season, seeing wholesale changes of personnel both on the bike and off it. These have already proven fruitful too, as 4 victories have been taken in the opening two months of the season. With Opening Weekend now looming, much of the team's hopes for more success rest on the shoulders of Joshua Tarling.

The former European time-trial champion has already beaten Tadej Pogacar this year in an impressive showing at the UAE Tour and the Welshman is now looking to show off his Classics legs at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday afternoon. "It's not so much a refresh [personnel-wise], because I think, obviously, everyone likes all the staff, but it's more that everyone has that new hunger," Tarling explains to Cycling News about the changes within INEOS.

"You can see it in the racing, you know, it's not desperate, it's hungry. Because I think there were a couple of times last year where, for sure, I was desperate, and then you make mistakes," continues the 21-year-old. "But this year it's like, right, we're not desperate, but we're fucking hungry and it's working out well for us. As you've seen in all the races, even when we're not winning, now it's seconds and thirds instead of just being in the front group, which is nice."

As mentioned, the whole energy and aura surrounding the INEOS Grenadiers seems to have flipped in 2025. After the doom and gloom that surrounded the team and allegations of toxicity amidst the much-discussed departure of Tom Pidcock at the back end of 2024, the team have started the new year with a fresh mindset across the board. "We're all bike riders, and if you're not winning, you're annoyed. I think it was mainly important that you can see it in the riders - even in the camp, we were all just battering each other," says Tarling. "I think everyone's just fucking motivated."

As for his own Spring, a return to Paris-Roubaix, where he was disqualified in 2024 stands out for the Welsh powerhouse. "It was a waste, for sure," Tarling recalls of last year's DQ for a super sticky bottle. "I was on really good form, and what's more annoying is that I was in that group, and it had stopped in front - that's why I went back for the bottle and the bike change. We could have made it back without the car in general, so, yeah, it was a waste. But it is what it is."