"I'm also not great. I've tested positive" - Geraint Thomas another INEOS rider battling Covid but continues on at 2024 Tour de France

Covid is back at the 2024 Tour de France and many within the peloton are feeling the effects. INEOS Grenadiers sadly had to announce the departure of Tom Pidcock ahead of stage 14 because of the infection. Speaking ahead of the day's racing, Pidcock's teammate, Geraint Thomas admitted he is also feeling worse for wear.

"For a start, it's obviously a big, big shame to lose Tom," begins the former Tour de France winner's pre-stage 14 interview. "He felt bad this morning so it was between him and the doctor and that's what they decided to do. For me, I'm also not great. I've tested positive but I've got mild symptoms so the doctor is monitoring me closely."

With Pidcock just one of a number of big name riders to have abandoned the 2024 Tour de France through Covid including Tadej Pogacar's super domestique Juan Ayuso and Mark Cavendish's loyal leadout supremo, Michael Morkov among others, Thomas insists the doctors have a system to monitor the disease, allowing him to continue racing without continuing the cycle of transmission within the peloton. "They've got their way, their protocol so to speak to deal with respiratory infections," the Welshman explains. "At the minute, I've just got a bit of a headache and a runny nose so we'll just have to see how it goes."

With a big day in the high mountains to come on stage 14, including an ascent of the infamous slopes of the Col du Tourmalet and the Pla d'Adet, it could be a long day of struggle in the saddle for Thomas. "We'll see how the legs are," he assesses. "Certainly at the start, just get to the bottom of the Tourmalet as best as possible and then see how I feel. But, as I say it's just a bit of thick head at the moment so in every other walk of life I'd be absolutely fine. But trying to ride the Tour de France, it's a little bit different."