Luke Durbridge out of Tour de France with COVID-19
The Australian is the fourth rider to depart after contracting coronavirus during the Tour de France.
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Luke Durbridge is the latest rider to leave the Tour de France as a result of COVID-19.
The Australian’s BikeExchange-Jayco team confirmed Tuesday morning that he tested positive for the virus and would not take the start of stage 10. According to the team, Durbridge has mild symptoms.
Durbridge is the fourth rider to depart after contracting coronavirus and joins Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Geoffrey Bouchard (Ag2r-Citroën), and Vergard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates) in leaving the race early with the virus.
Meanwhile, Gianni Moscon (Astana-Qazaqstan) left the race early citing long COVID as the reason.
Also read:
- Inside the COVID-19 fight at Tadej Pogačar’s team
- ‘It’s a sword of Damocles hanging over us’: COVID-19 concern in the Tour de France bunch
- UCI on overnight COVID-19 controls at Tour de France: ‘All tests are negative’
The Australian’s positive test comes just two days after the entire peloton was tested for the virus following stage 9, ahead of the rest day, something that is mandatory under the current UCI rules.
The UCI announced Monday that all tests returned negative, but Durbridge’s departure shows that the virus is still in the bunch.
Stage 10 of the Tour de France takes the riders from Morzine to Megève, taking in four classified climbs along the way.
UPDATE:
Unfortunately @luke_durbridge1 has tested positive for Covid-19 this morning. Durbridge has very mild symptoms & will not start today’s stage 10. pic.twitter.com/JzP3Ee8kRp
— Team BikeExchange-Jayco (@GreenEDGEteam) July 12, 2022