JOSH Tarling’s push for a second medal at the World Championships in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, ended in disappointment after a heavy crash.

After a stunning ride to win the men’s junior time trial on Tuesday, Tarling was amongst the favourites to take gold in the men’s junior road race.

Early-morning rain left the 17km circuit a tricky test for the cyclists, the junior race including eight passes of the Mount Pleasant climb for a total of 135.6km.

Tarling’s misfortune came on the opening descent, the slippery roads causing a crash of three favourties, Joshua Tarling (Great Britain), Harnish McKenzie (Australia) and Max van der Meulen (Netherlands).

Tarling showed courage and ability to rejoin the peloton while bloodied and bruised but retired after four laps.

Germany’s Emil Herzog outsprinted António Morgado of Portugal to win the title.

On Tuesday, Ffosyffin’s Josh Tarling won the men’s junior time trial at the Road World Championships in the seaside town of Wollongong.

He won the under 23s time trial after Australian Hamish McKenzie had been in the hot seat with the fast time of 35:18.

Tarling started fast, lost a few seconds but then finished fast to stop the clock in 34:59.

The former Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron pupil who will race for Ineos Grenadiers nest season said after winning gold: “I had a bit of a bad start to the season with injuries and feeling empty but from halfway through the year it has been all for this.”