Two-time world time trial champion Filippo Ganna is aware of he has younger Brit Josh Tarling snapping at his heels forward of the Olympics. A lot so, that the Italian says his Ineos Grenadiers teammate motivates him to go quicker towards the clock.
Tarling, who grew to become European time trial champion at simply 19 years outdated final 12 months, is without doubt one of the scene’s most promising younger skills. The now 20-year-old will compete for Group GB on the Paris Olympics this July, the place each he and Ganna will go as gold medal contenders within the time trial.
Chatting with Biking Weekly, the Italian mentioned he’s hoping for a “good struggle” along with his younger teammate.
“I believe Josh is without doubt one of the greatest riders for the time being,” Ganna mentioned. “He is European champion, and has a number of victories additionally within the TT. He is younger, however actually, actually robust. I hope he generally is a good struggle for me. For positive, he is one of many motivations I’ve for coaching nicely, so I can beat him.”
Tarling is but to raised Ganna in a time trial since turning professional firstly of 2023. The duo confronted off twice final 12 months, inserting first and second on the Ethias-Tour de Wallonie, and second and third on the UCI World Championships, behind winner Remco Evenepoel.
At this summer time’s Olympics, each the women and men will sort out the identical flat 32.4km course, which heads east by way of the centre of Paris, and counts various sharp turns.
On Thursday, GB coach Matt Brammeier posted an image on X of Tarling and Anna Henderson beneath the Eiffel Tower, on a recon journey of the course. “57 days,” Brammeier wrote, counting all the way down to the race. “Beginning to really feel a bit actual now.”
Tarling has made no secret in latest months of his ambitions for the Video games. “I’ll Paris to win,” he informed The Guardian in April. “I would love to do the street race as nicely, but it surely relies upon, as a result of there’s solely 4 spots. I additionally wish to do the Madison on the observe. So I would prefer to win the Madison and the TT.”
Group GB’s choice for the Olympics just isn’t but finalised, and is predicted to be introduced within the subsequent month. Tarling’s place on the observe just isn’t assured, though he has featured within the group pursuit squad this 12 months; he was a part of the group that gained gold on the Nations Cup spherical in Adelaide, Australia in February.
The lads’s time trial will happen on 27 July, beginning and ending at Invalides within the centre of Paris.
