The reconstruction by Portuguese investigators provides new elements to help understand the dynamics of the accident in which, on Saturday, 19-year-old British cyclist Finlay Tarling lost his life while competing in the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal.

Speaking in the studios of "Jornal da Tarde" broadcast by RTP, Carlos Canatário, Lieutenant Colonel of the Guarda Nacional Republicana, confirmed that Tarling and two other athletes had dropped off the back of the main group shortly before the accident and were traveling at some distance from each other. The officer also explained that Finlay, after pulling alongside his team car, resumed pedaling and "On a downhill section, the GNR escort vehicle was unable to keep up with him. It was a combination of several factors that led to this tragic outcome".

The Portuguese law enforcement spokesperson also shed light on why there was a car on the race route. According to Lieutenant Colonel Canatário, the driver had stopped to wait for the main group to pass, but since  "no one else was coming, he asked if he could proceed" and reportedly received an affirmative response from some people present.

The Guarda Nacional Republicana spokesperson added: "The driver, in whose blood no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found, was not driving in the wrong direction but in the opposite direction to the race direction. The cyclist cut the corner, as is natural, as cyclists do, passing on the left side of the road, and this is what caused the collision".

Among the many questions this tragic incident raises, one resonates more than others: but wasn't the access point to the route being monitored? "This particular access point was not being monitored. Specifically, we know that no officer was present at the location, because it was not one of the access points that were considered priority in the safety assessment that was carried out" Canatário stated, adding that only signage was provided.

Now, according to the information provided yesterday, the investigation will continue to search for additional details and to determine whether the planned signage was correct and in place or had been moved. According to the Guarda Nacional Republicana : "At this time, no criminal charges are planned against the driver"

So much for the facts and reconstructions. However, allow us one more question: could there have been communication difficulties between Radiotour, escort vehicles, Race Direction, and the Gendarmerie that prevented them from reporting straggling riders and a car on the race route?