
Fernando Gaviria has tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time this season and is now out of the Giro d'Italia.
The Colombian sprinter, riding for UAE Team Emirates, is gone into isolation pending more tests to confirm his diagnosis.
However, when Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) tested positive for the virus at the Giro, and left the race, two subsequent tests carried out returned a negative result.
It's a major blow for Gaviria as he was effectively trapped in the UAE earlier this year when he tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to undergo lengthy treatment there for it.
He spent over a month in hospital in Abu Dhabi before being given the all clear and being allowed to leave.
Some 492 Covid-19 tests have been carried out on the Giro around yesterday's rest day and Gaviria was one of only two positive results.
The other was a staff member on AG2R La Mondiale, who is also off the race and has now gone into isolation.
"Gaviria was immediately isolated following the test result and is feeling well and is completely asymptomatic," his UAE Team Emirates squad said of his positive test result on the Giro.
"All other riders and staff returned a negative test, and will undergo further testing today. The teams medical staff are monitoring the situation closely and doing all they can to ensure the we can proceed safely."
The fact there were only two positive test results out of almost 500 tests is a major boost for the Giro following earlier positive cases on the race and both Mitchelton-Scott and Jumbo Visma withdrawing as a result.