Covid at the Giro d’Italia, Bystrom: “I’m positive but I’m staying in the race”. But then he withdraws

Al Tour of Italy rather than uphill arrivals, sprints and escapes, we discuss positivity al Covid. It could not have been otherwise after the sensational withdrawal of the pink jersey Remco Evenepoel: the farewell of the world champion – not the first to leave due to the infections – prompted the organization to reintroduce the obligation to mask. In the meantime there is no shortage of controversy: the Evenepoel team doctor, the Soudal Quick Stepattacked the Giro speaking of “negligence and lack of professionalism. However, the International Cyclist Union (UCI) does not provide for any protocol or even the obligation to swab. So much so that the confession of the Norwegian Intermarché cyclist came to upset the atmosphere even more, Sven Erik Bystrom: “I have the Covid, ma rest running”. Too bad, right at the start of the tenth stage scheduled today (Tuesday 16 May) from Scandiano to Viareggio, Bystrom himself at the end withdrawn.

The new provisions of the UCI – also validated by the WHO – do not force any positive to go home. The teams continue to run the tampons, but they are not required to do so and therefore even less to communicate the results externally. Bystrom had explained the state of health of him to Eurosport: “You have to make an assessment based on symptoms. If I had the fever and had I been sick it would have been something, but I had mild symptoms and a little tired. He is also normal in the sixth, seventh and eighth stages of a three-week race,” she said. Also launching into a comment: “If all the cyclists had to leave for a positive test nThere would hardly be any more runners when we get to Rome.” In the end, he himself decided to leave, after he began to accuse i symptoms of covid.