Tour de France: Quick Step concerns for riders after staff Covid positives

Cycling
Yves Lampaert

Riders and staff at Belgium’s Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl team have expressed concerns they could catch Covid-19 after two more staff members tested positive.

Fabio Jakobsen won Saturday’s sprint to Nyborg, and team-mate Yves Lampaert claimed the yellow jersey in stage one.

But Lampaert said he was afraid he could have Covid after “hugging about 20 people following his stage win”.

Team director Tom Steels and press officer Phil Lowe have tested positive.

“Obviously there is some fear,” added team CEO Patrick Lefevere. “I am not afraid [generally], but I am for corona.”

Just before the race, key domestique Tim Declercq was forced to pull out of the squad through Covid, and replaced by France’s Florian Senechal.

All eight of the team’s riders are part of the same bubble.

All riders and team staff across the peloton will be tested by Tour organisers ASO on Monday’s rest day, where the race transfers from Denmark for Tuesday’s fourth stage from Dunkirk in northern France.

Jakobsen, 25, won his first stage of the Tour after being selected ahead of Britain’s Mark Cavendish, despite the chance the 37-year-old could have broken Eddy Merckx’s Tour stage record with a 35th win.

Jakobsen only returned to cycling 15 months ago after suffering serious injuries at the 2020 Tour of Poland.

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