Sleep is a rare commodity on the Tour de France. You have to know how to take advantage of it, especially when a day of rest is looming. On Sunday, the organizers of the Grande Boucle have long believed that they were not entitled to this lie-in on Monday. And then finally, nothing or rather negative! From the middle of the evening, director Christian Prudhomme and his gang learned that no new case of Covid-19 had been detected during the screening campaign carried out two or three hours earlier among the 165 runners who had crossed the finish line in Châtel (Haute-Savoie).
After 48 hours of growing anxiety, Super Planche des Belles Filles style, a big sigh of relief ran through the peloton on Monday. There were smiles among the Lotto Soudal staff as they prepared the cans for the day’s short walk. Under an already teasing heat, Philippe Gilbert and his colleagues left to ride for an hour and a half on the heights of the Chapelle d’Abondance, where many formations are located.
Clear nostrils, a light spirit and even a playful mood, judging by this rear wheel contest organized between riders via social networks. “I was not very anxious because we tested very regularly in the team and everyone was negative. There was no reason for that to change, assures the leader of Groupama-FDJ David Gaudu. But let’s just say it takes a bit of the pressure off. »
“I find it hard to see any embezzlement of the results”
In fact, there is still something to be surprised by this happy absence of a cluster. Even if the UCI said it was calm, the three positive cases and three withdrawals announced this weekend weighed on the atmosphere. Not to mention the words of Guillaume Martin, ousted because deemed too contagious by the medical commission. Despite the lack of evidence, the Frenchman suspected certain rival teams of having possibly hidden Covid under the carpet, hoping that the disease had disappeared before the official tests organized on each of the two rest days. “Statistically, it seems surprising that there is no positive test. But above all, I do not want to embark on conspiratorial theses fueled by my personal resentment, ”he added on Monday, still dejected.
The boss of the Tour de Suisse also saw the scenario experienced last month repeat itself with an uncontrollable outbreak of contamination. 50 runners had to leave the race in a few days. “It surprises me a little but so much the better, repeats Olivier Senn. I was expecting maybe at least one, two, three or four more cases and finally, nothing at all. It is impossible to guarantee that the Covid does not enter the bubbles with the world, the spectators. But hey, all the teams are doing their best, it shows that it’s working well, even if it’s not a guarantee for the future. We must remain attentive. »
Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot also prefers to extinguish any controversy. “Zero cases is better than one case. Why be surprised? I don’t see any embezzlement of the results. It’s in no one’s interest to continue with positives, they risk contaminating the other guys on the team. »