Tour de France warns teams: two Covid-19 positives and you’re out

Tour de France organisers have told teams that they will boot them off the race if they return two positive Covid-19 tests in seven days, official sources said on Friday.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme attends a press conference on anti-coronavirus measures . AFP/Valery HACHE

The measure concerns not only the riders, but other team staff inside the “race bubble”.

The 2020 Tour will start on August 29 in Nice. There are 28 teams each with eight riders and a total of 25 to 30 people in the bubble.

Tour organisers and a team that had received the health protocols confirmed the measures on Friday.

All the riders must undergo two PCR nasal tests in the days leading up to the start of the Tour.

A team can replace a rider who tests positive before the race.

During the race anyone who tests positive would have to leave the race bubble. Riders would therefore automatically withdraw from the race.

A daily check-up will be carried out within the teams and each doctor will have to report any problems to the race Covid unit.

All those in the race bubble will have to undergo another PCR swab test on the two rest days – September 7 and 14.

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