Joxean Matxin assures there is no Covid fear within UAE Team Emirates: "No one is sick"

UAE Team Emirates travelled to stage 16 with two riders separated from the rest of the team: Adam Yates and Tim Wellens. Joxean Matxin was not asked about the why, but has assured that no-one in the team is sick and the precautions the team are taking are only part of the safety protocol for the team.

Speaking at the end of the sprint stages in Nîmes to Cyclism'Actu, Matxin has commented on what he expects out of today's stage: "Tomorrow (stage 17, ed.) we would like there to be a small breakaway group that will compete for victory. It is the riders who make the race, but for us it would be perfect. Many people will want to be in the breakaway, we will have to control so as not to let riders from the general classification go".

UAE seemed to significantly increase it's measures against Covid-19 now in the third week, specially as Tadej Pogacar's victory feels closer, and Covid cases within the peloton continue to rise as the race goes on. "The riders who wear the mask? It is just to respect the ASO protocol and not take any risks. No one is sick. No, no fear, we simply apply the protocol".

Matxin's concern is keeping the yellow jersey but the virus is not what threatens it the most; but instead it continues to be Jonas Vingegaard and Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "There are still a lot of complicated stages, the last week is the most complicated, a lot of situations to control. We have to respect our rivals, Jonas has bib number 1, he won the last two Tours de France, total respect," he concluded. Stage 17 will be a day to keep an eye on, but stage 19 and the ascents to the Cime de la Bonette and Isola 2000 will be the true challenge for the Slovenian.