Brennan says cycling has moved on
Visma–Lease a Bike rider Matthew Brennan has criticised cycling’s response to the death of his friend Finlay Tarling, arguing that the sport has failed to introduce meaningful changes since the 19-year-old was killed.
Tarling died on August 14 after colliding with a vehicle during stage eight of the Volta a Portugal. Brennan watched his friend’s funeral in Aberystwyth on September 17 and was left questioning why such a tragedy had not produced a more visible reaction from the sport’s authorities.
“It’s so sad we’ve lost someone so special and also nothing has changed,” Brennan said in comments reproduced by Domestique. “I really think that is disgraceful.”
The 21-year-old’s intervention was highlighted by TV 2 Sport, which described his frustration at seeing races continue without the fundamental changes he believes are required.
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Fatal collision exposed a gap in race protection
Tarling, who rode for NSN Development Team, was attempting to return to the peloton on a descent when he collided with a non-race van travelling in the opposite direction. Reports indicated that the driver had waited for the main group to pass and believed the road was clear.
The race used a rolling road closure rather than closing the entire route. No police officer was stationed at the junction where the vehicle entered, exposing the risks riders can face when they are behind the main race convoy.
Tarling’s team confirmed his death in an official statement and subsequently withdrew from the remaining stages of the Portuguese race.
Brennan’s concerns were reinforced by further incidents involving ordinary traffic. Australian rider Maeve Plouffe encountered public vehicles at the Tour of Britain Women shortly after a puncture, while Louis Leidert met cars twice during a time trial at the Sauerlandrundfahrt.
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Brennan wants independent safety oversight
Brennan believes responsibility for safety should be given to an independent organisation capable of holding race organisers, teams and the International Cycling Union accountable to clear and enforceable standards.
His proposal goes further than leaving each organiser to interpret broad requirements. It would create an external authority whose primary responsibility was rider safety and which could intervene when races failed to protect the whole field, including competitors dropped behind the peloton.
The UCI has not remained entirely inactive. In an official safety update, the governing body announced plans for real-time GPS tracking of riders and race vehicles across professional road events. It has also proposed introducing new compliant finish barriers progressively from 2027.
Those measures remain proposals rather than a universally implemented system. Brennan’s criticism therefore centres on the distance between discussing safety and enforcing changes that prevent another rider from encountering an unprotected vehicle on a supposedly controlled race route.
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