Amid increasing Covid-19 cases in Italy and unease about the virus on the Giro d'Italia this video has emerged of an apparently lax approach at a hotel where a number of teams were staying.
It was shared by Spanish broadcast journalist Quique Iglesias who says the scenes depicted show Giro teams mixing with each other, race workers and regular guests while eating in a hotel on the race. It was recorded earlier this week and was shared yesterday.
"A rest day noon at a Giro d'Italia hotel. Distances? Race bubble? Members of up to four teams mixed with tourists, journalists," Iglesias wrote as he shared the video.
"Remember that there are two teams already out of the race and another on the way. There are 11 days left to reach Milan."
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The video has emerged as Mitchelton Scott and Jumbo Visma have already left the race due to Covid-19 positive test results.
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Race leader João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) has said he
accepted it was open to question whether the race would run its full course,
adding any such decision was not up to him.
EF Pro Cycling has today pointed out what is says is the increasing unease on the race about it continuing and asking for an orderly stop.
Lotto Soudal's Thomas de Gendt said riders were now feeling unsafe because of the Covid-19 situation. He added he had been involved in conversations before stages about whether the stage should even start.
A total of 17 police escort riders on the E-Giro, a support race run each day in tandem with the Giro and using electric bikes, have also tested positive for Covid-19.
Eurosport has reported a letter was sent by EF Pro Cycling to RCS, which owns the Giro, and to the UCI saying it must be “expected that further illness will result" from the positive Covid-19 cases already recorded on the race.
The team added it would be better if a decision was taken
to end the race early rather than teams leaving one by one and the event
descending into chaos.
However, it is reported that the UCI president David Lappartient has rejected the request, saying the race and the season can continue if everyone works together. The UCI added extra testing would be carried out on the race.
“With these measures, we trust in everyone’s cooperation in the common goal of continuing our sport in the safest possible conditions," the UCI said in reply to EF Pro Cycling, adding extra testing was being done today and tomorrow as well as the tests already planned around the rest day next Monday.
"The outcome of these measures will be closely monitored throughout the continuation of the event and for any additional measures,” the UCI said.
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