Sam Bennett's lead-out man at Deceuninck-QuickStep, Michael Mørkøv, is in self-imposed isolation in Berlin due to growing fears over the coronavirus within pro cycling.
The Danish champion, who has already combined very successfully with Bennett in their first races together, was riding UAE Tour in the same line-up as the Irishman.
However, Mørkøv left the race before the local sports council said two cases of the virus were confirmed there and he flew to Berlin where he was due to represent Denmark at the World Track Championships.
All the riders, team staff and race officials have been told to stay in their hotels at UAE Tour despite the cancellation of the final two stages, which were due to take place today and tomorrow.
But because Mørkøv got on a flight and traveled to Berlin, he has placed himself in isolation in the German city until he is tested and the results of that test become known.
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The two cases of coronavirus announced at UAE Tour are within the UAE Team Emirates squad, where two staff members were confirmed as having the virus.
While the head of Bennett's team, Patrick Lefevere, claimed he knew of two other WorldTour teams with cases of the virus, Deceuninck-QuickStep is not one of those teams.
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It is clear that Michael Mørkøv has opted to stay in his hotel room in Berlin, and away from everyone else, purely as a precautionary measure.
"I woke up and saw that a panic had begun to spread,”
the rider said of getting up this morning in Berlin to hear the news of what
had happened at UAE Tour late on Thursday.
“Throughout the night, everyone has been testing down
there in the UAE, which is why I, together with country coach Casper Jørgensen,
decided that I stay in the room and wait," he told TV2, a Danish TV
channel, in an interview.
"I wish they'd come and test me so that we can get a result that is hopefully negative and be allowed to continue,” he said early on Friday.
“It doesn’t have major consequences today. I probably should have gone to a little track training but otherwise it was a quiet day,” he said, adding he felt absolutely fine.
However, Mørkøv added time was against him as he was due to race at the Worlds on Sunday, in the madison event.
If he was to race properly he needed to know immediately he was clear of the coronavirus so he could prepare for competition. It is understood that on Friday evening he was still in isolation in his hotel room.
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