The Covid does not take a break. While the peloton is stopped for a deserved 24-hour rest before Tuesday’s stage between Carcassonne and Foix (Ariège), the Covid-19 continues to progress within the peloton. Thus, if this Monday, the UCI, the International Cycling Union, announced at first that no positive case was detected, it had all the same mentioned two suspected cases. Two runners who, after further examination and despite showing no symptoms, tested positive.
“The two riders concerned are not in the top 20 of the general classification of the event. While these runners are completely asymptomatic, security measures (isolation of the two runners) have been put in place to protect the other participants, ”said the UCI. “A final decision on their participation following the event will be taken collectively by the parties concerned (doctors of the event and the Covid-19 teams, and the medical director of the UCI)”, added the international federation.
All the riders underwent a detection test on Sunday evening after the 15th stage and on the eve of the rest, as had already been the case in Morzine (Haute-Savoie) last Monday. A week ago, on the previous rest day, when cases seemed to be increasing within the peloton, there were no additional patients announced. However, in the days that followed, several runners had to forfeit because of the virus. In particular the Frenchman Warren Barguil, who threw in the towel on Friday, before the start of the 13th stage.
A total of eight riders have had to leave the Tour since the start due to the coronavirus. Dane Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF Education) and Australian Simon Clarke (Israel PT) returned home on Sunday, after New Zealander George Bennett and Norwegian Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE), Australian Luke Durbridge (BikeExchange) and the French Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroën), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and Warren Barguil (Arkea-Samsic).
Fear on the Tour
While the Grande Boucle started on July 1 from Copenhagen in the midst of the 7th wave of Covid, many observers are wondering, even if the epidemic peak has passed in France, if this edition of the Tour de France 2022 is not simply in danger. Because by July 21, and the arrival of the race on the Champs-Élysées, the virus could circulate at will within the peloton. Especially since for the moment, the authorities are not announcing a return to health restrictions in the face of this resurgence of Covid-19.
Following the cascade of abandonments recorded at the Tour de Suisse in mid-June, the anti-covid protocol was updated before the start of the Tour by the International Cycling Union (UCI). The tests are compulsory before the start and during the two rest days of the event in Morzine and Carcassonne, riders and team personnel included.
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In the event of a positive result, the protocol provides that “the decision on possible isolation will be taken collectively by the doctor of the team concerned, the Covid-19 doctor for the event and the medical director of the UCI”.