A disappointed Tom Pidcock will not line up for stage 14 of the Tour de France today. Tom is experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 and under advice from our medical team will now return home to recover.
“It's ridiculous to wear masks when we've been on climbs with fans 10cm away shouting at us” - Carlos Verona hits out at Tour de France's Covid protocol
CyclingWednesday, 17 July 2024 at 16:00
Riding in his first Grand Tour since moving to Lidl-Trek over the recent off-season, Carlos Verona has been battling away at the 2024 Tour de France without much reward so far. Despite the rising fear of the returning Covid amongst the peloton however, the Spaniard's Tour de France has not been made any more enjoyable by the enforcement of masks within the race.
"I think this is detrimental to cycling. I think we need to turn the page. It's ridiculous to be wearing masks when in the Pyrenees we've been on 15km climbs with fans ten centimetres away shouting at us, cheering us on," Verona laments in conversation with AS. "I don't understand it, I don't agree with it."
The likes of INEOS Grenadiers star Tom Pidcock, key domestique for Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates Juan Ayuso and Mark Cavendish's superstar leadout man Michael Morkov are all among the ever growing number of riders to abandon the 2024 Tour de France due to a positive Covid test. According to Verona however, it's long past time cycling moved on from concerns over coronavirus.
"If someone thinks it's right, then okay, but we need to turn the page," the 31-year-old former Movistar Team rider adds. "The coronavirus is still there, and it claimed many victims in its time, but the situation is a little more under control and we need to start normalising everything. Masks don't help."
As far as his own Tour de France however, Verona remains upbeat. "The team is very happy with me and that is what matters. You don't race for television or for the image of the spectator, you race for the interests of the team and, of all the Tours I have done, for me, without a doubt, this is the one in which I am performing best," he assesses. "Helping Giulio Ciccone on flat days, in the wind, in the mountains. Being in a breakaway may seem to make me shine more, but the appreciation of the team for the work I do is worth more than all that. I am satisfied and what I am thinking about is giving 100% until the end."
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- And your point is what exactly?vappaxbipmv22-12-2024
- MVDP dominates this sport even more than Pogaçar dominates road racing. Also he can beat Tadej on the road quite regularly, the opposite is unlikely.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If you listen to team radios you'll hear each DS telling their riders to ride faster, fight their way to the front, and all occupy the same 8 places.Sweep22-12-2024
- You're talking about a sport where equipment and clothing is measured in grams.Sweep22-12-2024
- “During a TT, I am basically blind”. That was his quote after crashing into the barriers in a TT. The problem isn’t the UCI, radios or air bags. The problem is the riders and their teams.JoeyB22-12-2024
- I think you overestimate scientific knowledge and for sure the spreading of it. There are huge numbers of people in similar situations, if there were an easy solution somebody would be making big money out of it. Nerve pain can have many complex origins or be due to complex combinations of reasons. Even if you discover a reason there is not always a solution. Migraines haven’t been solved either. I have had lower back/hip nerve pains on and off for over 30 years, no kind of doctor has ever found a way to reduce, prevent or solve the problem. It may just be that some people are born with nerves that are too short or get twisted out of position during certain movements.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- Amazing ride by her and very promising for her future. On a side note, it’s a bit worrying all these wins riders have after emotional moments in their lives, someone will come up with emotional doping at some point. Maybe give them fake news just before a big race to get hormones pumping.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- I doubt he will have the energy to do that if he continues to do leadout for Phillipsenabstractengineer22-12-2024
- I know several people who’ve tried contacting sport airbag manufacturers and none of them ever got a reply. Might be hard to organise anything with such attitudes.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- It's the BBC. Who cares outside of little Britain.leodis22-12-2024