Tour de France - Corona fear during the tour: masks back in fashion
Before the start of the Tour de France, there's sudden Corona anxiety once again. Superstar Tadej Pogacar had just caught it during preparation, although it was supposed to be mild. However, many teams have had to dust off their old Corona protocols again.
Belgian time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel, one of the favorites before the Tour de France, which starts in Florence on Saturday, presented himself with a red mask. And in Jonas Vingegaard's Team Jumbo-Visma, masks, PCR tests, and hand sanitization are part of the standard program again.
"I don't want to scare people that I'm sick. I'm feeling good, but I'm cautious," said young star Evenepoel and added: "We're coming into contact with a lot of people here. I don't want to end the Tour like the Giro last year." Evenepoel had to withdraw as the leader of the pink jersey due to an infection during the first rest day in 2023. He doesn't want that to happen again.
Vingegaard loses domestique
Corona has already caused a prominent withdrawal in Vingegaard's Team Jumbo-Visma before the race. Vuelta champion Sepp Kuss, who was supposed to be a domestique for the Danish champion and winner of 2022 and 2023, had been severely affected. "Sepp is very valuable. We miss him a lot. Not just me, but the whole team," said Vingegaard.
Pogacar, however, came out of it more favorably, as he reassured: "I've recovered well. Covid is not as serious as it used to be. I had the virus already. The body gets used to it. It wasn't that bad and went away quickly." He took only one day off, then got back on the bike a little.
No Corona measures planned for the Tour
Even the German Red Bull team is being careful. They are implementing the usual strict hygiene and caution measures. In case of infections, they will take additional precautions, as a spokesperson confirmed to dpa inquiry. "The risk is always there. We're trying to be careful. Sometimes you need luck," said team captain Primoz Roglic and added, looking at the crowded room at the press conference: "I assume everyone has a negative test result."
Not quite, as all Corona measures have been lifted at the Tour. In certain areas, mask requirements were still in place during the Giro last year due to the many Covid-related withdrawals. Journalists had to wear masks during any contact with riders, as well as other team members and riders themselves were required to wear masks in the so-called Paddock - the bus parking area at the start and finish - but these times seem to be over...
- Despite the mild impact, Tadej Pogacar's coronavirus case prompted several teams to reactivate their old coronavirus protocols.
- Masks, PCR tests, and hand sanitization are back as standard protocols in Jonas Vingegaard's Team Jumbo-Visma, preparing for the Tour de France.
- Sepp Kuss, Vingegaard's planned domestique for the Tour de France, was forced out of the race due to severe coronavirus effects, leaving a significant void in the team.
- Florence, Italy, will host the start of the Tour de France on Saturday, with cyclists like Sepp Kuss, Tadej Pogacar, and Jonas Vingegaard eager to take on the challenge, despite ongoing concerns about the coronavirus.
- Even though Corona measures have been lifted for the Tour de France, resurging virus cases remain a looming concern, as evidenced by last year's Giro withdrawal for riders and team members.
- Amidst the hustle and bustle of the press conference, Primoz Roglic, captain of the German Red Bull team, noted the importance of staying cautious and lucky when it comes to avoiding the virus during the Tour de France.
