The Tour of Italy has reinforced the measures against Covid-19, imposing the mandatory use of a mask in the areas of contact with cyclists, the organization announced this Monday, one day after the abandonment of the pink jersey, Remco Evenepoel.
“Taking into account the latest news regarding positive cases in some runners, the direction of the Tour of Italy informs that the use of a mask will be mandatory in all areas of contact with runners,” reports the organization of the pink corsa, in a declaration.
The measure will be in force as of Tuesday at the finish line, on the podium, in the mixed zone or in the parks where the selection buses are parked, the note details.
Although the World Health Organization declared the end of the Covid-19 pandemic on May 5, the eve of the start of the Giro, cases of contagion ‘exploded’ in the peloton, with the abandonment of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step ), on Sunday, when he was leading the race, to be the most media example.
The forced withdrawal of the Belgian prodigy, hours after having won the ninth stage and having recovered the pink jersey that he had worn on the first day, when he won the opening time trial, “forced” the organization of the race to take action.
“Some people may have already been in contact [com o vírus]but, at least now, they did something”, greeted the new leader of the ‘pink corsa’, the British Geraint Thomas (INEOS), who on Saturday had already shown apprehension with the increase in cases in the squad, after the retirement of his colleague and Italian cycling star Filippo Ganna
Evenepoel, Ganna and Rigoberto Urán (EF Education-EasyPost), the two-time Giro runner-up (2013 and 2014) who also withdrew on Sunday, head an official list of six cyclists who withdrew from the Giro due to Covid-19, in a squad that could even be larger, since some teams did not advance the reasons for the loss of their riders.
The protocol currently in force in cycling does not require testing for Covid-19, however some teams, such as Soudal Quick-Step, continue to do so routinely.
Today, the Tour of Italy is the first rest day of the 106th edition, with the peloton hitting the road again on Tuesday for stage 10, a 196km journey between Scandiano and Viareggio.
The ‘corsa rosa’ is now led by the British Geraint Thomas (INEOS), who has just two seconds ahead of the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), second, and five over his colleague and compatriot Tao Geoghegan Hart, third. The Portuguese João Almeida (UAE Emirates) is fourth, 22 seconds behind.
Source: TSF
