COVID-19 positives have caused three WorldTour teams to withdraw from the Tour of Valencia
Twelve WorldTour squads remain in 2.Pro stage race
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Photo by: BikeExchange-Jayco
The start line of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana’s penultimate stage was a little less crowded on Saturday, as two more WorldTour teams have withdrawn from the race due to COVID-19 positives. Jumbo-Visma and Team DSM both did not start on Saturday, a day after BikeExchange-Jayco went home early.
In compliance with pro cycling's Health & COVID-19 procedure, we have withdrawn from #VCV2022 ahead of stage 4, after 3 positive COVID-19 self-tests in the team this morning. Thank you, @VueltaCV and @UCI_cycling for supporting us in this decision.
More: https://t.co/EPYc9dN7y0 pic.twitter.com/2NUHvDoRNu
— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) February 5, 2022
In a press release, Team DSM said,”three team members produced positive self-tests for COVID-19″, while Jumbo-Visma declared that two team members had tested positive. On Friday, BikeExchange said that two team members found they had COVID-19 after Thursday night tests.
BikeExchange-Jayco’s plight has perhaps been somewhat mitigated by its two stage wins from new addition Dylan Groenewegen at the Saudi Tour.
Movistar had two Tour of Valencia riders, Juri Hollmann and Einer Rubio, return COVID-19 positives on Thursday, but only those riders withdrew and went into isolation. The squad’s Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde sit fourth and fifth heading into Saturday’s stage.
