Cycling: Dmitry Strakhov (Gazprom – RusVelo) tested positive for Sars-CoV-2 at the UAE Tour. This makes the Russian the first – at least known – professional to suffer from the corona virus. In addition, further races were canceled this Wednesday and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto - Soudal) even expects the end of the season.
Will Paris - Nice not be finished?
The pros are still competing for stage victories, points and classification jerseys on the Paris – Nice long-distance trip. But whether the tour can actually be completed remains to be seen. Some pros appear to be expecting the race to the sun to be abandoned soon. On Monday, the French government decided to ban events with more than 1.000 participants. The race organizers have nevertheless decided to let Paris – Nice continue – for the time being. Dares to take a particularly pessimistic look at the future Thomas De Gendt. The experienced Belgian even expects the end of the season to come. In addition to the Italian races in March, the Tour de Normandie and the Volta ao Alentejo have now also been removed from the calendar.
Jasper Stuyven:
"If you look around the peloton, 90 percent expect that we won't make it to Nice."
Thomas De Gendt:
“I really expect that we are currently experiencing the last racing days of the year. We will be heading south in the coming days. The weather is better there, so more people go out. It is possible that the organization will then say: We will stop. We might make it to Stage 5, but no further.”
Strakhov fell ill on the UAE Tour
He has other concerns at the moment Dmitry Strakhov (Gazprom – RusVelo). As his team announced yesterday on Instagram, the 24-year-old Russian tested positive for the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus on the UAE Tour. Team Gazprom – RusVelo remains stuck in quarantine along with UAE Team Emirates.
Dmitry Strakhov:
"After being tested for the virus for the fifth time, it turned out that I was infected. I didn't see the results myself, but I had to go to the hospital straight away, where they did a blood test. Now I'm waiting. I feel good but continue to follow the measures.”