UAE-TeamEmirates' Matteo Trentin out of Tour de France with Covid-19, Jumbo-Visma boss also tests positive

UAE-TeamEmirates' Matteo Trentin is out of the Tour de France with Covid-19. Trentin's result is the latest in a string of positive tests in elite cycling, with Team Jumbo-Visma boss Merijn Zeeman also announcing his own positive test on Wednesday.

Ad/> Trentin will be replaced by Marc Hirschi, while Zeeman will manage his team remotely during the start of the Tour de France until he has recovered. Tour de FranceOpening week of Tour de France 'as close to gladiatorship as it gets' — Voigt20 HOURS AGO Following the spate of positive tests at the recent Tour de Suisse — as well as that of Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl rider Tim Declercq on Tuesday — it's a development that is bound to further unsettle organisers of the Tour just two days before the Grand Depart in Copenhagen.

Mindful of the escalation, the International Cycling Union (UCI) have stepped in to reinforce their Covid-19 measures, which will include a requirement for riders and staff to present «at least one negative antigen test» two days prior to the start of the race. However, the rule to withdraw a team that has two or more riders returning positive PCR tests has been removed.

Tour de France 2022 Stage 1 — Route map, how to watch as Grand Tour starts Thomas part of three-pronged Ineos leadership at Tour de France, Pidcock makes debut UCI president David Lappartient said: «In view of the evolution of the international health situation and on the eve of the Tour de France, it has become necessary to reinforce the measures in force to ensure that the cycling events on our international calendar can be held successfully and to protect the health of those present at the races,» said UCI President David Lappartient. «Even if the situation we are currently experiencing