Ryan Mullen is latest Irish rider to have plans scuppered by Covid-19

Ryan Mullen and Jasper Stuyven after the big win at Milan-Sanremo. Unfortunately the Irishman and his team mates were out of Gent-Wevelgem contention before the race had even begun (Photo: Gian Mattia D'Alberto)

Ryan Mullen and his Trek-Segafredo team were forced to withdraw from Gent-Wevelgem today due to Covid-19 within the WorldTour outfit.

It was a bitter blow for the WorldTour team as it had defending champion, Mads Pedersen, in its ranks, not to mention Jasper Stuyven, who won Milan-Sanremo last weekend.

Mullen is now an established member of the team’s classics line-up but despite having played a key role in the Milan-Sanremo win, he was denied his chance to go into battle today.

His team knew last night it would not be starting today as two positive test results had been returned during testing on Friday, with the results apparently emerging late last night.

*Mads Pedersen winning last year's delayed Gent Wevelgem but he didn't get to the start line today*

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“One team member tested positive for Coronavirus on
Friday. They were then put into isolation along with the other team members who
had been in close contact with them,” Trek Segafredo said.

“The entire team underwent an extra PCR test which
revealed a positive result for one of the isolated members.

“The team has decided to withdraw from Gent-Wevelgem
whilst we do further testing before we can safely return to competition."

Mullen is the latest Irish rider to be hit by the pandemic as Nicolas Roche (Team DSM) was forced out of Volta a Catalunya last week after stage 1 as he had been in contact with a team staff member confirmed as having the virus.

And in France Kevin McCambridge, one of Ireland’s most promising young riders at present, is just recovering from a bout of Covid-19.