Tour, anti-Covid measures: tomorrow buffers, the negatives at the Copenhagen time trial

The 109th Tour de France kicks off on Friday from Copenhagen with a 13.2 kilometer time trial (and 20 corners): this is Pippo Ganna’s big break. But for the 22 teams and 176 riders, who arrived in the Danish capital today, the nightmare-Covid is the heaviest threat: just look at the outbreaks at the Tour of Switzerland and that of Slovenia, which affected about thirty runners and tremble the group.

Measures So how do you approach the Tour? Meanwhile, before arriving at the hotel, each team has imposed an anti-coronavirus molecular test (PCR) on runners and staff, in order to build the ‘bubble’ that will have to last for three weeks: a test that follows the (rapid) antigenic checks. , strongly recommended by the UCI in the previous five days and that the teams have carried out for their safety. The race starts on Friday, but there is a much closer finish: tomorrow, Wednesday, the riders and staff of each team will be subjected to hygienic tests by the organizers of Aso. Immediate results, as in the Giro d’Italia, for the total screening of the caravan. If they are negative, go ahead for the time trial on Friday. In the event of a positive result, however, a PCR molecular test will be carried out immediately which, if it confirms the positivity, will put the runner out of the game. The team will replace him with one of the two reserves: just to avoid any problems, each formation has created a group of 10 athletes who have been following the same protocol for weeks.

The rules This is one of the two novelties of the anti-Covid protocol updated by the UCI, the world federation. The other strong point is the carrying out of three antigen tests for runners and staff during the three days of rest. Daily, then, the members of the teams and all the members of the Jury, UCI technical delegates and anti-doping managers will be subjected to antigen tests.