Berlin, Feb 22, (dpa/GNA) – Leader Mathieu van der Poel and his Alpecin-Fenix team withdrew from cycling’s UAE Tour on Monday after a member of staff tested positive for the coronavirus.
Organizers said Alpecin-Fenix “have decided to withdraw … in order to safeguard the race bubble and ensure the safe continuation of the race.”
The positive test was recorded late Sunday after van der Poel won the opening stage of the race which runs to Saturday.
“Upon receiving the results, the person immediately went into isolation, and all those who came into contact with this person are self-isolating,” organizers said, and will undertake further tests.
The new overall leader is Slovenia’s Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar who moved up from fourth in the standings in Monday’s 13-kilometre solo time trial which was won by world champion Filippo Ganna.
GNA