Drama for Remco Evenepoel: wearing pink jersey from Giro d’Italia after corona infection | Giro

“It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that I will leave the Giro d’Italia after testing positive for the corona virus,” the 23-year-old Soudal Quick-Step rider writes in a statement on social media. experience these days has been very special and I was really looking forward to the next two weeks I can’t thank the staff enough as well as the riders who sacrificed so much leading up to this Giro I’m proud to win the race anyway left with two stage wins and six pink jerseys.”

Evenepoel took his second time trial victory and recaptured his pink jersey. Afterward, he said he felt a little sick. “My nose is a bit stuffy. We have to be careful not to get sick,” said the world champion. Later in the day, a routine test showed a positive result. This meant that Evenepoel will no longer get on the bike after tomorrow’s rest day and the dreamed duel with Primoz Roglic Ineos rider Thomas, second in the time trial less than one second from the Belgian, will start in pink on Tuesday, his lead over Roglic is two seconds.

All other riders and staff of Soudal Quick-Step were tested negative, the team reports. That was not the case for Rigoberto Uran, by the way. The Colombian from EF Education-EasyPost also left the Giro after a corona infection. Evenepoel and Uran were not the first this week.

Evenepoel was not very satisfied with his performance in the time trial, despite the victory. “I hope I don’t get sick”, he had said afterwards and he also indicated that he was looking forward to recovering after two tough days.

“This explains everything,” his team manager Patrick Lefevere responded on Twitter. “I hope everyone respects their period of recovery and their private life. He will come back stronger.”