"You've lost a friend and when nothing changes it is really shocking" - Matthew Brennan highly critical of UCI following Finlay Tarling's passing
CyclingSaturday, 19 September 2026 at 11:15
The passing of Finlay Tarling has come as one of the darkest moments of the year in professional cycling. The lack of action following the in-race accident that led to the Briton's death has left many revolted, including Vuelta a España headliner Matthew Brennan.
"It was very sad what happened with Fin. We were watching his funeral yesterday and I said to my friend: 'It's so sad we've lost someone so special and also nothing has changed'," Brennan told BBC.
Tarling, 19 at the time of his passing, was honoured this Thursday in Aberystwyth. The former NSN development team rider passed away after colliding with a van during stage 8 of the Volta a Portugal.
The vehicle entered the race course in the opposite direction after having been told by locals that all riders had already passed. He was unaware of Tarling's presence in the race, who was off the back, when in a downhill corner Tarling collided head-on with the van.
The race was neutralized that day, but resumed the following day. Ever since, no meaningful changes have been put on paper by the UCI.
Matthew Brennan has criticized the UCI once again
Brennan believes cycling has moved on from Tarling's passing
"I really think that is disgraceful. Instead of someone somewhere in these organisations saying: 'OK, this should never ever happen again', it feels the world has moved on, nothing has changed and there's events where cars have been on the course still."
The presence of vehicles in professional races has happened before and since, and is more common in lower-level events, where the costs of fully closing roads are more difficult to reach. "It's unbelievable, because you've lost a friend and when nothing changes it is really shocking2.
"I think these big organizations and the UCI should have a look at what they need to do to increase the safety," Brennan, recently a five-time stage winner at the Vuelta a España on his debut, argued.
"In my personal opinion, there should be an independent organization that holds the organizations, the UCI and everything accountable to some very strict rules that makes sure the safety of the riders is held as a priority."
Racing under extreme heat, another major issue
But aside from maintaining route safety, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider argues that there is a lot being done that doesn't prioritize rider safety. The extreme heat that the riders endured during the Vuelta, often going above 40 degrees, is one clear example.
"We have big outside factors such as TV... I would say that's a massive one. The instances of racing in Spain, and instead of moving it forward to racing at 09:00 we're racing at 15:00 in the midday heat," he pointed out. Despite his success, Brennan, like all others, endured hours on hours of racing under extreme weather conditions.
"I think a real independent organisation that can really say to the teams whether something is safe, or whether something needs to be changed would benefit the sport and hopefully would stop these sad tragic events that happened at World Championships (he refers to Muriel Furrier's passing in 2024, ed.) and what happened with Fin and all the other sad events that happen in the sport."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- exactly, looks are not a talent. if they were all of the women you mentioned would be more accomplished that Sydney. and again, you are judging her on looks alone. so progressive of you. maybe do some research on someone before you form an opinion just by looking at them.mij19-09-2026
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