'We'd get McDonald's on the way home': Inside Josh Tarling's rise from determined 8-year-old to Olympic favourite

Ahead of his Olympic debut, the European champion and his dad, Michael, look back at the scene that made him

A collage of Josh Tarling in front of the Eiffel Tower
(Image credit: Getty Images/SWPix)

Josh Tarling doesn't remember how many time trials he won as a junior. As he sits opposite Cycling Weekly on a video call, he looks over his laptop screen, hoping to pluck a number out of the office air at British Cycling's Manchester headquarters. It's not that it was that long ago for the Brit, who only turned 20 in February. It's that, quite simply, he has lost count.

"Um," he begins, trying to force his memory. "It sounds bad, but I don't think I lost many… and if I didn't win, there'd be an excuse somewhere." 

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