2023-05-16 02:00:00
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 02:00
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal) is the sixth rider to leave the Giro d’Italia due to Covid, after Clement Russo (Arkea), Nicola Conci (Alpecin), Giovanni Aleotti (Bora), Filippo Ganna (Ineos) and Rigoberto Urán (EF). The withdrawal of the Belgian, the pink jersey of the race, has caused the organization to decide to recover part of the health protocols that were applied during the pandemic. In this case, RCS, the company that runs the Giro, has decided to recover the masks for common areas such as the podium, signature control and the team parking area. Evenepoel returned this Monday by car to Belgium. In the recent Tour de Romandie there were already several cases of abandonment due to Covid, including that of Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), already recovered and concentrated with his team in the French Alps to prepare for the Tour.
team decision
“We will reinstate some restrictions that had been abolished,” Giro director Mauro Vegni confirmed. “Should we have done this earlier? Probably yes,” he added.
Regarding the withdrawal of Evenepoel, he explained that “the protocol that existed before no longer exists. The WHO no longer classifies Covid as an international health emergency. This means that each team can test if they want. Someone may decide to withdraw the broker for health reasons or may decide to let him continue. Here in the Giro there have been some declared cases of Covid, but we cannot put our hand in the fact that there have not been others that perhaps have not been declared. I do not allow myself to pass judgment on this matter. The medical staff of each team has the responsibility of assessing the conditions of each athlete. He confirmed that Soudal decided “autonomously” to withdraw Evenepoel, without previously notifying the organization.
This Tuesday, at the restart of the Giro after the rest day, the leader of the race will be Geraint Thomas (Ineos).
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