Lottery Soudal rider Thomas De Gendt has said that hes starting to feel “risky” at the Giro dItalia amid the concerns of COVID-19 cases at the race, exposing before the start of phase 12 in Cesenatico that he and his colleagues have gone over whether to continue in the race.
On the other hand, phase 10 winner Peter Sagan insisted that he will race on, informing Sporza: “Were here to do the race and were remaining here.
” It is like it is, the organisation has to understand what to do. Im not here to decide what to do.”
De Gendt began Thursdays stage around the hills behind Cesenatico together with his seven teammates– among 144 riders left in the race– but revealed his mistrust of race organisers RCS Sport, comparing the race circumstance negatively to the Tour de France bubble.
Jumbo-Visma, Michael Matthews and Mitchelton-Scott left the race on Tuesday after a spate of favorable coronavirus tests, while news has emerged that 17 cops motorbike escort officers at the Giro-E e-bike occasion which accompanies the primary race checked positive on Monday and have gone into quarantine.
” I need to be sincere: my head is not really in the race after the news of the 17 contaminated cops officers,” De Gendt said to Sporza in Cesenatico..
” Things are going terribly in this Giro. We have been discussing with the riders in the team for 20 minutes about whether to start due to the fact that we are beginning to feel risky.
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” Some riders prefer not to start, others do. Im one of the riders who would rather not begin.” We definitely want the Giro dItalia to make it to Milan,” Vegni said. “I d say at any cost, leaving out any significant or medical problems. I never ever felt hazardous there at any point.
” The police just accompanied the Giro-E? Yes, yes, yes, yes … Thats the explanation they offer.”.
After the favorable tests among riders and personnel in 5 groups, some have actually suggested the protective competition and group bubbles have actually been jeopardized.
Jumbo-Visma rider Jos Van Emden mentioned how his group was dining in the hotel at the start in Palermo with “4 or perhaps 5 teams … however the police and motos were there, the Shimano neutral service and normal individuals were all eating from the exact same buffet” adding that teams have been secured badly at the race.
The UCI rules drawn up particularly for the COVID-19 pandemic state that the groups ought to sleep in different wings of hotels and have “an independent and reserved dining room, whenever possible”. A variety of teams, including Bora-Hansgrohe, Ineos Grenadiers and UAE Team Emirates, have separate food and dining trucks at the Giro dItalia, while other teams have accepted to eat in their hotels.
On Wednesday, a rider at the race told Cyclingnews that “there are no genuine bubbles” at the race, adding that “the only bubble we have around us is the one we have inside our masks” and questioning why some groups left after favorable tests while others– with GC hopes such as Sunweb– could remain at the race.
RCS Sport has performed hundreds of PCR swab and rapid tests, with the outcomes of follow-up tests on the 5 groups anticipated before the weekend. Another round of PCR tests will be done around Mondays 2nd rest day on all the riders, group personnel and race personnel in the competitors bubble..
De Gendt, on the other hand, stated that hes heard riders coughing in the peloton, including that he d rather not continue in the race pointing out fret about contaminating his family.
” There have actually been more than 10 cases and yesterday I heard numerous riders coughing. Its the cold season, but in the long run you cant focus anymore,” he stated.
” Some riders prefer not to begin, others do. Im one of the riders who would rather not begin.
” If you stop, its over. You can continue till its too late. Do I feel hazardous? Its going the wrong method. Its not so much for myself as for my household. I dont want to infect anybody– Im worried about that.”.
De Gendt included that he does not have faith in the organisation, comparing them adversely to how ASO ran the Tour de France. He stated that the sensation is that RCS Sport are just trying to get the race to the finish, prioritising the monetary obligations of the race over rider safety.
Ahead of phase 10, just after the news of the positive cases broke, race director Mauro Vegni told RAI that the aim was still to bring the race to its conclusion in Milan on October 25.
” We absolutely desire the Giro dItalia to make it to Milan,” Vegni said. “I d state at any cost, excluding any major or medical problems. We understood holding the Giro in October was bothersome, were doing all we can to make it to Milan with all the obstacles and doubts.”.
De Gendt is suspicious of any delay in a choice.
” If you wait for your group, the company or the federal government, it will be too late. At the moment I do not have the balls to say that I will not begin, however that may quickly hold true,” he stated.
” I believed it was much safer in the Tour. I never felt hazardous there at any point. However I have the feeling that the company is hiding things and providing it a twist.
” There is a great deal of money involved and for sponsors it is really important that we go to Milan. They are waiting on the government to decide and those decisions come too late.”.
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