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The Ineos Grenadiers team of Egan Bernal, Mitchelton-Scott, AG2R La Mondiale and Cofidis are possibly only one case of COVID-19 away from being sent off from the Tour de France. However, there is still confusion as to whether another positive test on Monday’s second rest day would force them to drop out of the race.
The positive test on each team, understandably, has left them nervous. Mitchelton-Scott’s Adam Yates wore the race leader’s yellow jersey for four days last week and is aiming for stage wins in the mountains, AG2R-La Mondiale team leader Romain Bardet is currently fourth overall while Cofidis also has a lot at stake with Guillaume Martin in third place overall.
Tour de France organizers ASO and the UCI confirmed that four staff members from all four teams tested positive for coronavirus during PCR tests conducted on Sunday and Monday around the first rest day. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme also tested positive for COVID-19 and dropped out of the race.
It is unclear whether the four positives from the staff were confirmed by secondary tests conducted by the mobile test unit created by Tour de France organizer ASO. An involved team told Cyclingnews that secondary testing was planned for cyclists only, and that staff underwent a serological blood test to better understand the development and status of their COVID-19 positive.
According to the medical protocol agreed for the Tour de France, if a team has two positive cases among its riders and staff within a period of seven days, it will be out of the race. Before the Grand Départ in Nice, the teams tried to limit the rule to only runners. However, French medical authorities annulled an agreement between ASO and the UCI and said that two cases in a team bubble of 30 riders and staff would lead to expulsion from the race.
The tests on the first day of rest were held on Sunday and Monday, and the second series of tests is also expected to span two days. If two positives emerge strictly within the seven-day window, it could trigger the “two-strike team out” rule and radically impact the Tour de France.
One of the four teams with a positive indicated for Ciclismonews They understood that the seven-day period ended before the next series of tests on the second rest day. However, it seems that the French medical authorities want to rule otherwise, with The team suggesting that “if a single member of the four teams has another positive (on the second day of rest), they will have to pack their bags.”
The team used a soccer analogy and described Ineos Grenadiers, Mitchelton-Scott, AG2R La Mondiale and Cofidis with a yellow card, with a second yellow card leading to expulsion.
In theory, if the stricter rule applies and a member of Ineos Grenadiers staff tests positive in the second round of tests around the rest day next Monday, the team would have to leave the Tour de France, even if the winner of 2019, Egan Bernal was wearing the yellow race leader jersey.
Acting race director François Lemarchand, who replaced Prudhomme, told Reuters news agency before the start of stage 11 on Wednesday that teams that had received a positive test would be excluded if there was another from “the next battery. of tests “.
However, a source said Reuters that the organizers can still reset the seven-day window and cancel the ‘yellow cards’ from the first day of rest after consulting with the French government.
“But first, there will be a discussion between the health authorities, the Tour’s race management and the International Cycling Union to make the decision,” added the source.
All four affected teams were silent about who had failed the tests and when exactly the positive staff member had been tested.
Ciclismonews understands that Ineos Grenadiers sent a second staff member out of the Tour de France after they shared a room with the positive case, even though this second staff member tested negative.
Several teams have run internal saliva-based tests and thought their riders and staff were negative. However, official PCR swab tests yielded four positive results.
Cofidis team principal Cedric Vasseur fired the journalists before the start of stage 11 on Tuesday because he was out of the race bubble.
AG2R-La Mondiale coach Vincent Lavenu was angry with “those who would like a team to leave”. He said Reuters that the staff member who tested positive had gone home to isolate himself and that his roommate was also sent home even though the test came back negative.
“We do not plan any further tests before the battery of tests in Grenoble,” Lavenu told Reuters. “I don’t think we should add more stress every day to give pleasure to those who are waiting for a team to be sent off.”
Before the start of Tuesday’s stage, Lavenu had said: “It shows that luck does not spare anyone. You just have to understand that it can happen to anyone. We must not stigmatize anyone because it is a matter of bad luck despite all the measures taken. four cases of 660 people analyzed: the proportion is very low. The measures are not enough to protect the squad 100 percent. Our sport is serious, but no one can be sure. The goal is to finish the Tour with the team in the best possible mood. There is the race, but also that weight that weighs on everyone. We have to deal with it. “
