Josh Tarling disqualified from Paris-Roubaix

Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) has been disqualified from Paris-Roubaix, after holding onto a sticky bottle as he returned to the leading group.

The 20-year-old, who is racing his second Roubaix, dropped back to the Ineos team car with 143km to go, having suffered a puncture. The overhead camera then caught images of Tarling holding onto the outstretched bottle from the car and travelling at speed alongside the vehicle at around 140km to go.

He did not appear to pass any riders, but was visibly being dragged back towards the charging front group.

At 139km, to go he was chasing alone, and made it back to the front group, but with 129km to go it was announced over race radio that he had been disqualified, as the front group took on sector 24.

He dropped back to the commissaire' car and received the news. He then waved his arm in anger as the TV motorbike focused the camera on him.

"It was a decision that was made on the road and it’s done. There we are," Ineos Grenadiers director Ian Stannard told GCN and Cyclingnews at the finish in Roubaix.

"It's just a racing circumstance and that’s it."

Stannard was unwilling to go into further detail, refusing to explain exactly what had happen or say whether he felt the punishment was fair.

"It’s a racing circumstance. He’s had a bike change and that’s it. You’re not getting any more from me."

In 2023, Tarling raced his first Paris-Roubaix, and finished outside the time limit after battling on to be the third-to-last rider to finish in the velodrome.

After some impressive performances in the Classics so far, Tarling was a young rider to watch in Sunday’s race, either for his own results or as a supporting rider for late addition Tom Pidcock. However those hopes will have to wait, with his 2024 race over after only a few sectors.