Josh Tarling Claims First Grand Tour Stage Win at Giro d’Italia

TIRANA, Albania — British cyclist Josh Tarling captured his first Grand Tour stage win on Saturday, finishing first in the individual time trial of stage two at the Giro d’Italia. The 21-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider clocked a time of 16 minutes and 7 seconds, narrowly edging Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic by just one second.

Tarling’s victory came during a 13.7-kilometer course laid out in the bustling capital of Tirana. This achievement makes him the youngest rider to win a time trial in Giro history.

As the stage unfolded, Tarling completed his run and faced a lengthy wait as 58 other riders, including top contenders, completed the course. “I can’t believe it, I’m so happy,” Tarling said. “The wait was not nice, I don’t want to do it again; it was a long day for 13km.”

Roglic, last year’s Giro champion, took advantage of the situation to claim the leader’s pink jersey, having outperformed stage-one winner Mads Pedersen by one second. Roglic, who finished second in stage two, now holds a slim lead over Pedersen in the general classification.

Australia’s Jay Vine finished third on the stage, three seconds behind Tarling, while Tarling’s fellow British rider, Ethan Hayter, finished ninth, 14 seconds back.

“Winning today is truly exceptional,” Tarling noted. “I was afraid of all the favorites. Primoz was really impressive, so this first Grand Tour victory is a new step in my career.”

With challenging mountain stages ahead in the three-week competition, the general classification is still very much up for grabs. Spanish rider Juan Ayuso trails Roglic by 16 seconds, while Italy’s Antonio Tiberi is another nine seconds back.

The race will move to Italy after Sunday’s third stage in Albania, which will showcase the picturesque coastline of Vlore. Cyclists anticipate a hilly 160km route that may favor the sprinters.