[ad_1]
Two weeks today the Tour de France will get underway with a short time trial in Copenhagen. However, as the GC hopefuls, team players racing for selection, and fast men find their form over in Switzerland, that c word seems to be spreading through the peloton.
Yesterday, Adam Yates and the entire Jumbo-Visma squad left the race following positive tests. This morning, four riders from EF Education-EasyPost and two each from UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Fenix have joined the list…
This is the start of an extremely bad day.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) June 17, 2022
Team boss Vaughters broke the news on Twitter…
We have decided to give the option of starting to the remaining two riders, with the consent of our medical staff. Along with our support staff, these riders have no symptoms and multiple negative tests during this Tour de Suisse. However we will continue testing twice per day.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) June 17, 2022
UAE Team Emirates have lost Marc Hirschi and Mikkel Bjerg, while two non-positive teammates, Joel Suter and Vegard Stake Laengen, have abandoned as a precaution.
“Unfortunately, like many other teams we have also had a surge in Covid-19 cases,” the team’s medical director said. “Our affected riders have been fully assessed, and are currently mildly symptomatic.
“The riders sharing a room with the positive cases are deemed high-risk contacts, so in the interest of rider, team and community health, we decided it is best that they also be withdrawn. It’s a pity but the reality is that the virus is still with us as a society and we are monitoring our athletes regularly to be as careful as we can.”
Alpecin-Fenix then, within the last 20 minutes, announced their team would leave the race too and that a “statement by the race organisation will follow later this morning”.
In the interest of the health of all riders and staff at the @tds, leaving the race is considered the most sensible decision by the team management and medical staff. This decision was taken in consultation with the management of the Tour de Suisse. 2/3
— Alpecin-Fenix Cycling Team (@AlpecinFenix) June 17, 2022
The triple-header of abandons left some fans worried about the potential impact on the Tour de France…
More Covid cases in Tour de Suisse, now with UAE & EF. Ironically today’s stage goes to Visp and rides past one of the factories that makes the Moderna vaccine. Infection rates aren’t high across Europe but are rising, increasing probability of more disruption in Tour de France
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) June 17, 2022
Yeah we might want to cancel the tour de Suisse at this point
— Idris (@Idthesheep) June 17, 2022
[ad_2]
Source link
