British Cyclist Josh Tarling Set for Tour of Spain Days After Brother's Tragic Death

Britain's Josh Tarling in action during the men's road cycling individual time trial during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games [Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP]

British cyclist Josh Tarling is set to compete in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) starting on Saturday, just more than a week after his brother Finlay died in a crash during a race in Portugal.

Finlay Tarling, 19, died after a "serious accident" during the eighth stage of the Tour of Portugal on August 14. The teen was a road cyclist who rode for the UCI Continental team NSN Development Team. Local broadcaster RTP, which was televising the race, reported that Finlay was involved in a head-on collision with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction and not connected to the event.

Finlay Tarling at the Newport Velodrome during the Commonwealth Games on August 4, 2022 [Huw Fairclough/Getty Images]

In a news release published on Thursday, Netcompany-Ineos confirmed time-trial specialist Josh as part of their lineup for the Tour of Spain, which runs from August 22 to September 13. Director of Racing Geraint Thomas said the team fully supported Josh’s decision to take part in the race, while his mother Dawn said the family also backed the 22-year-old’s call to compete in the Grand Tour.

“Finlay was so incredibly proud of his big brother, and would be watching nose to the TV and shouting as he competed,” she added in a post on Instagram. “So it is right that Josh honours that love and pride by doing what Fin always loved watching him do.”