The organizers of the Giro d’Italia announced this Monday a reinforcement of the sanitary measures against covid-19, with the obligation to wear masks in all areas of contact with the runners, the day after the abandonment of the leader and great favorite to win final, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel.
After the positive results of several runners in recent days, the last, on Sunday, those of Evenepoel, who had won the time trial and recovered the ‘pink jersey’, and the Colombian Rigoberto Urán, the organization of the race announced in a statement that “The use of masks will be mandatory” at least, in the finish area, the podium, the mixed zone or the parking area of the team buses.
Evenepoel’s abandonment on Sunday night caused an earthquake in the Giro, which is experiencing its first rest day on Monday.
Nothing forces a cyclist affected by the coronavirus to abandon the race since the protocol in force put in place at the worst moment of the pandemic is no longer in force, but the team of the 23-year-old world champion, Soudal-Quick Step , as well as other formations, have decided to withdraw their positive cyclists, prioritizing the health of the runners, on the pretext of the existing uncertainties regarding the consequences of making great efforts when a person is infected.
The British Geraint Thomas, who dressed in pink after the abandonment of Evenepoel, was favorable this Monday to the measures taken by the organizers, although he regretted that they were launched late.
“Some people have perhaps already been in contact (with the virus). But at least now something is being done,” he told a video news conference.