Portugal Colonial - British Olympic hope Tarling thrown off Paris-Roubaix for rules violation

Tarling was on one of the old mining roads that make the race -- know as the "Hell of the North" -- iconic, when he was informed of his disqualification via a race radio handed to him in the saddle and appeared visibly distressed.

The 20-year-old Welshman is the European time-trial champion and world championship bronze medallist, and is targeting gold at the Paris Olympics this year.

He was riding in his first Paris-Roubaix where he was providing crucial help for Ineos star Tom Pidcock, who appeared as disgruntled as his teammate when realising Tarling was out of the race.

There are no hard and fast rules in cycling races with race officials taking on-the-spot decisions.

One of those officials was right behind the Ineos team car when Tarling re-mounted after a puncture and took what is known as a "sticky bottle", where a rider pulls alongside a car and takes hold of a water bidon from his team and the car then accelerates while the rider clings to the bottle.

The hefty cobbles that make up the surface of around 57km of the 260km route of the one-day Paris-Roubaix race cause countless punctures, broken wheels and falls.

P.L.Madureira--PC