The noose of the Covid-19 has tightened a little more around the yellow jersey of the Tour de France, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, who lost Tuesday morning for this reason a second teammate, the New Zealander George Bennett, before the tenth stage in Morzine.
Pogacar had already seen the Norwegian Vegard Stake Laengen leave on Saturday morning within the UAE formation which had eight riders at the start of the event, like its rivals.
The day after the announcement of negative tests on Sunday evening for competitors in the Tour, two riders had the opposite result. Australian Luke Durbridge (BikeExchange), who has mild symptoms, also had to leave the race.
On the other hand, the Pole Rafal Majka, one of Pogacar’s lieutenants in the mountains, received the green light to continue the race.
“As per our internal protocols, he was tested for Covid-19 and returned a positive result this morning. He is asymptomatic and his PCR analysis revealed that he had a very low risk of infectiousness, similar in the case of Bob Jungels earlier in the race,” explained Dr. Adrian Rotunno, UAE team doctor.
“In accordance with the protocol, we reported it to the medical team of the International Cycling Union (UCI) this morning, which authorized Rafal to start just before the start of the race”, added the doctor, specifying “We are aware that Rafal’s clinical picture may change and we are closely monitoring his situation.”
– “The Covid can ruin everything” –
In addition to the regulatory checks carried out by the UCI, the various teams frequently carry out internal tests. Every day for some, at intervals of two to three days for others.
“We test ourselves every three days, some even every two days,” said Pogacar on Saturday after leaving Laengen. “It’s really a worrying situation. The Covid can ruin everything in the Tour.”
“This pandemic is here and unfortunately we are not spared”, estimated the yellow jersey and favorite of the Tour. “We can’t risk running sick, so we have to take it seriously. We are on the road every day. In the mountains there are a lot of people shouting encouragement. It’s something I like a lot but that increases the chances of being infected with the virus.”
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).
In the event of a positive result, the protocol provides that “the decision on possible isolation (be) taken collectively by the doctor of the team concerned, the Covid-19 doctor for the event and the medical director of the UCI” .
– Closure of access to the paddock –
To “fight even more effectively” against the Covid-19, the organizers decided on Tuesday to close access to the team paddock, the place where the riders’ buses are installed.
“Only the representatives of the UCI (jury, commissioners, anti-doping agents), the staff of the teams, and the staff of the organization supervising the teams will now have access to it”, specified the management of the Tour.
Media representatives and guests of the various teams, who could enter the paddock until today, will no longer be able to.
Before the start in Copenhagen, Tour director Christian Prudhomme had urged Tour riders to avoid autographs and selfies. But, in the Tour, wearing a mask is only compulsory for those accredited who approach the riders.
“There is a gap between life in general, with people who put the Covid a little behind, and the need to be more careful on the Tour”, admitted the director of the Tour on Monday during the day of rest.
