Grief in the cycling world following the death of Finlay Tarling, a resident of Andorra
Tarling was reportedly hit by a motorhome that had entered the race route travelling in the opposite direction
The cycling world is mourning the death of Finlay Tarling, a 19-year-old British cyclist and resident of Andorra, who died on Friday during the eighth stage of the Tour of Portugal.
The accident occurred at around 4:50 p.m., with just over 20 kilometres remaining in the stage between Melgaço and Fafe. According to information published by Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Tarling was reportedly hit by a motorhome that had entered the race route travelling in the opposite direction and allegedly failed to follow instructions from the authorities.
The race was immediately neutralised, and the stage was brought to an early end before the riders reached Fafe. The organisers also cancelled the scheduled podium ceremony as a mark of respect for the victim.
Police investigate the circumstances of the accident
Portuguese police have opened an investigation to determine exactly what happened in the moments leading up to the fatal collision. The Tour of Portugal organisers initially described the incident as a "serious accident", while police confirmed that the vehicle involved was travelling in the wrong direction.
It has not yet been established how the motorhome was able to enter the race route or whether the driver disobeyed instructions given by officers controlling traffic.
The organisers of the 87th Tour of Portugal and the Portuguese Cycling Federation expressed their condolences to Tarling's family, teammates and all his friends and loved ones.
A promising young British cyclist
Tarling was a member of the NSN Development Team and was in his second season with the squad. He was the younger brother of Josh Tarling, a cyclist with Netcompany INEOS, and was particularly regarded as a strong rouleur and time-trial specialist.
The young rider finished third in the under-23 individual time trial at the British National Championships in June.
This season, Tarling had also begun to gain greater prominence within the NSN Cycling Team's WorldTour structure, taking part in races such as O Gran Camiño and Boucles de la Mayenne. With the development team, he competed in some of the most important races on the under-23 calendar, including the Giro d'Italia Next Gen.
His death has shocked the British and international cycling communities, as well as the cycling community in Andorra, where the young rider was resident.
The race suspended following the tragedy
The Tour of Portugal organisers officially confirmed Tarling's death during the afternoon and announced that the race would remain neutralised until the finish in Fafe.
In an official statement, the organisers expressed their deep sorrow over the death of Tarling and conveyed their "deepest condolences" to his family, teammates, team and friends.
As a mark of respect and mourning, the scheduled podium ceremony was cancelled following the stage.
