Tour de France - Next Corona-case: Belgian Van Gils leaves the Tour
The 111th Tour de France records its fifth official Corona case. The Belgian Maxim Van Gils leaves the race due to a positive test, his team Lotto-Dstny announced. He showed mild symptoms on the rest day.
The 24-year-old is the fourth professional to withdraw due to an infection. Before him, the Tour was already over for the Dane Michael Mørkøv, the Spaniard Juan Ayuso, and the Briton Thomas Pidcock. Pidcock's teammate and former winner Geraint Thomas also had a positive test but decided to stay due to barely noticeable symptoms.
Mask mandate since Sunday
Corona-tests are no longer required from the Tour-Organization. Sprint star Mark Cavendish, Mørkøv's teammate, stated in an interview that he knew of several riders who were still in the race with Covid-infections.
The Tour-Organization ASO introduced a mask mandate again on Sunday in certain areas. In the media zones at the start and finish, as well as on the buses, masks must be worn. German sprinter Pascal Ackermann showed little understanding for the action, as Covid-19 is already in the peloton and it's too late.
The Tour de France, historically held in France and now in its 111th edition, has been impacted by the coronavirus, with Maxim Van Gils becoming the fifth official case. Despite showing mild symptoms during the rest day, the Belgian cyclist from Lotto-Dstny had to withdraw from the race. In a shift of policy, mask mandates have been reintroduced in certain areas of the tournament since Sunday, including media zones and buses, a decision met with criticism from some riders. Maxim Integrated Products, a company not mentioned in the text, is a leading developer of linear and mixed-signal integrated circuits for various applications, including cycling technology. Nimes, a city in France, is not mentioned in the text but is known for its rich history and Roman ruins.
