Gerben Thijssen replaced by Simone Petilli after positive covid test: "I had not seen this coming"
Cycling
On Friday afternoon the news came out that Gerben Thijssen wouldn't line up to the start of Vuelta a España. The Belgian fast man tested positive for the corona virus and was therefore unable to start in Barcelona. Simone Petilli will replace Thijssen in Intermarché-Circus-Wanty lineup.
"I had not seen this positive corona test coming. I had prepared myself very well for this Vuelta. On Thursday, however, during training for the team time trial, I didn't get a meter ahead. Already after two kilometers I had to get out of my wheels. I didn't have the slightest power. That was not normal," Thijssen tells Het Nieuwsblad.
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"I had a bit of a cold and thought it was all because of the terrible heat that overtook us all a bit here, but when I had a test taken after training today, we immediately knew the reason."
The disappointment at Thijssen was therefore immediately great. "This is a shame, of course. But when you hear that Tijl De Decker died after a training accident, you quickly put things into perspective. This is a very uncomfortable situation for me right now. But once you're sick, it's time to turn the knob and move on to the next race."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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