Giro d'Italia 2023: Four more Soudal Quick-Step riders have all witdrawn with Covid-19 after Remco Evenepoel

Four Soudal Quick-Step riders have withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after testing positive for Covid-19. It has been a desperately disappointing Grand Tour for Patrick Lefevere’s team, who lost general classification contender Remco Evenepoel to the virus after he tested positive on Sunday. Ad In a statement released on Wednesday, the team confirmed that Jan Hirt, Josef Cerny, Louis Vervaeke and Matteo Cattaneo will not start Stage 11 and have left the race immediately.

Giro d'Italia'He was sick as a dog' — Lefevere defends Evenepoel withdrawal from Giro12 HOURS AGO Team doctor Toon Cruyt said: “After the positive of Remco on Sunday Evening, we had two more riders who were feeling unwell on Monday morning, but were negative on antigen tests. “Therefore, a PCR test was carried out on the seven remaining riders, the results of which showed that the four guys were positive. We will continue to monitor and implement our testing protocol on the three riders and staff that remain at the race.” Soudal Quick-Step are still reeling from the news of Evenepoel's withdrawal, which had huge ramifications for the race and gifted Geraint Thomas the pink jersey.

The Belgian was leading the general classification at the time by 45 seconds after claiming victory in the individual time trial on Stage 9. Lefevere was forced to defend the Belgian's departure in quotes published by Cyclingnews. He said: «He was sick as a dog and you could see that, you didn't need to be a doctor to see that.

»He was positive and then people said he went home on purpose? If I go to my lawyer, I think whoever said that would have a problem. It's libellous. «We came to the Giro to win.