The Tarling family is left heartbroken after Finlay's death: 'Think of him when you clip in'
CyclingSunday, 16 August 2026 at 12:26
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Follow us on GoogleFinlay Tarling's parents have spoken out on Instagram. Me and Mrs Tarling lost their 19-year-old son following a crash during Stage 8 of the Tour of Portugal. After a wave of messages of support, they are now trying to put their feelings into words...
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We can't imagine what it must be like to lose your own child in a bicycle accident. "These have been the hardest days of our lives, and it took us some time to put this message together," the couple said.
"One of the things that has helped us is the outpouring of messages, letters, emails, articles, and phone calls from family, friends, the team, and local and sports communities. Hearing how loved and cherished Fin was helps us tremendously."
"We can't thank all of you enough for the support we've received," the family continues. "I don't know how we'll move forward from here, but we'll figure it out, with the support of our family, friends, and community."
Continue reading below the photo
The Tarling family is left heartbroken
"Our broken hearts will never heal. Fin was not only our son and brother, but our best friend. Caring, beloved, and with his signature dry sense of humor, we will miss him incredibly. He was only 19, but his life was already filled with wonderful experiences and achievements."
"We couldn't be prouder of him," they say. "When you hop on your bike in the coming days, think of him as you clip in."
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Qué tragedia. Muito respeito para a família. The investigator’s timeline helps, but still feels like a systemic safety failure on open-road races during descents.jeremya16-08-2026
- - Can someone explain what the broom wagon actually signifies? If it hadn’t passed, why was a civilian car allowed on course at all? I’m confused how those protocols work when riders are scattered.tourdeforce916-08-2026
- - Sorry, but this reads a bit like passing the buck. If signage was the only control at that junction, that’s not enough. A single marshal could have prevented this. Operational plan might’ve been followed, but was it adequate?gearguru3316-08-2026
- - If the GNR says it’s “humanly impossible” to cover every access point, shouldn’t organisers rethink neutral service positioning or add mobile motos for gaps on fast descents? This was a secondary access, but speed on that downhill made it primary in practice.jennifer1916-08-2026
- - Heartbreaking. The detail about the broom wagon not yet passing is crucial—explains why Finlay thought the road was still sealed. Condolences to his family and team. RIP Fin.robert6516-08-2026
- - Tears on the front row for NSN… goosebumps. Chapeau to the bunch for letting them lead the pace. Esto es el verdadero espíritu del ciclismo.julien15-08-2026
- - Not sure about the “put it in perspective” line referencing other deaths. I get what he meant, but it lands a little cold in this context. The sport must own its safety issues.jeremya15-08-2026
- - Sorry, bit confused—how was Tarling racing Portugal but commemorated in Norway? Are there multiple races at the same time and teams pay tribute across events?robert6515-08-2026
- - Poels speaks from a place of pain, you can feel it. Losing Gino still casts a shadow. His point about rising frequency of tragedies is worrying—UCI needs to accelerate road safety reforms, motos, convoy management, and race routing.sprocketspiny15-08-2026
- - Heartbreaking. RIP Finlay. The neutralised start and minute’s silence in Norway were handled with real class by the peloton.patriciaw15-08-2026
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