The French runner abandoned Sunday before the departure of the 9th stage. This is the 3rd case of Covid in the peloton.
Le Monde with AFP
The Covid continues to clarify the ranks of the Peloton du Tour de France and may well be the (bad) surprise guest of the second week of racing. Sunday, July 10, it was Guillaume Martin who was forced to abandon before the departure of the 9th stage, in Aigle (Switzerland).
The runner of the Cofidis team, who had finished first French in Tour 2021 (in eighth place), is the third runner of the peloton to leave the race for Covid.
“I only have a very slight sore throat, it’s frustrating. I had very good sensations yesterday (Saturday) when the stage arrived in Lausanne. I even felt that I was putting in pressure “, explained Guillaume Martin, 14th in the general classification before his abandonment.
“The other Cofidis runners and the entire staff were also tested and their results were all negative. The team will carry out a new compulsory test at the end of the rest day (Monday), in accordance with Protocol set up by ASO (organizer), “said the Cofidis team in a press release.
The Frenchman Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroën) had already given up continuing the tour on Saturday. Like Norwegian Vegard Stake Laengen, teammate of the yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar. And within the UAE team, the entourage of the double winner of the Tour de France does not hide that it fears a possible contamination much more than a waste of time on one of its rivals.
“I saw what happened to the turn of Switzerland. When the virus arrives in the peloton, it spreads quickly,” observed the general manager of Groupama-FDJ, Marc Madiot on Saturday. And to warn: “We live with a thunderstorm above the head that can fart us at any time.”