Reflecting on the tragic loss of their 19-year-old son Finlay, who was struck by a car during the Volta a Portugal cycling race earlier this week, Michael and Dawn Tarling expressed their emotions in a heartfelt Instagram tribute on Sunday.
In their post, they acknowledged the profound difficulty of the past few days, stating, “This has been the hardest couple days of our lives and it’s taken us a bit of time to be able to post this.” They found solace in the overwhelming support they received, adding, “The wave of posts, messages, emails, articles and calls from across our family, friends, team, local and sporting communities has been a huge help to us, as we hear how lovingly and fondly Fin was thought of.”
Expressing gratitude, they wrote, “We simply can’t thank you all enough for the support we’ve had. I don’t know how we’ll carry on from here, but we’ll figure out with the support of all our family, friends and community.”
Though their loss is immeasurable, they fondly remembered their son, describing him as not just a son and brother but their best mate. “Gentle, loving with the driest sense of humour, we will miss him terribly,” they shared, emphasizing the void left by his absence.
Finlay, despite his young age of 19, lived a life filled with remarkable experiences and achievements. His parents concluded their tribute with pride, stating, “His short life was packed full of wonderful experiences and achievements and we couldn’t be prouder of him.”
“If you’re heading out on your bike in the next few days, give him a thought as you clip in.
“We will of course share funeral details as soon as we know.”
Tarling was riding for the NSN Development Team when a light goods vehicle collided with him during the eighth stage of the race, between the municipality of Melgaco and Fafe in the north of Portugal. Police told local media that an investigation is underway.
The race was neutralized, with the podium ceremony canceled.
“At this time of deep sorrow, the organisers of the Volta a Portugal and the Portuguese Cycling Federation extend their deepest condolences to Finlay Tarling’s family, his teammates, the NSN Development Team, and all his friends and loved ones,” a statement from race organizers read.
A number of figures in the cycling world left comments on the Tarling family’s post, and the cyclists’ union released a statement saying they were “speechless and filled with anger,” over the manner of his death.
“It is not right that a young athlete’s life should end this way, and we are furious that even today it is still not possible to prevent such serious accidents,” their statement read. “We share in the grief of his family, friends, team and everyone who knew Finlay. Rest in peace, young rider; we pray for you, and we will carry you in our hearts.”