Patrick Lefevere: "No one would have thought that the virus would have such an impact on our organism"

The general manager of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team Patrick Lefevere has spoken out about the risks and procedures within the team regarding possible after-effects of Covid-19 infections in the peloton in light of Sonny Colbrelli's recent cardiac arrest; related with a recent bronchitis.

“I don't have much contact with the rest of the peloton, but I'm afraid for my team and my riders. Because I know what the consequences of covid can be, Lefevere said in an interview with Wielerflits.

“In my day, if you had a fever or the flu, you took a few aspirins and just rode on. That's how it went. But over the years I learned in Italy, first at GB-MG, later at Mapei, not to let sick riders race. They didn't want that there, especially not with a fever," he added.

"But with covid we are now going one step further. No one would have thought that the virus would have such an impact on our organism," Lefevere points out. Several riders in the last couple of years have reported consequences post-Covid.

“For some it is on the lungs, for others on the heart, like with Tim Declercq. Some, such as Yves Lampaert, Julian Alaphilippe and Mattia Cattaneo, you notice that they have to take much longer than usual. Others don't feel it at all. For others it comes in waves. One day they are better, the next they are back in bed," he adds.

Within Quick-Step, there is a clear routine for riders to follow after they have been infected with Covid-19, as Lefevere explains: “That's why we work differently now than before. After getting sick, our riders have to go to the cardiologist for the necessary tests. The situation calls for extreme caution. Look at society. Why should it be any different in sports? There are young riders who die in their sleep, footballer collapse on the field. There is also no age. That is why I advocate even more heart screening for young riders.”

“We were indeed one of the first to take Brugada with the team three days a year to detect cardiac arrhythmias. That costs me a few cents, but no human life is worth not investing in. In the meantime we have also discovered a few, such as Gianni Meersman at the time and Zdeněk Štybar. Brugada is also arguing for even more screenings among young athletes and I fully support him in this," he concluded.

Within the team, Tim Declercq has been forced to miss the classics season - or most of it at minimum - due to long-term consequences of a Covid-19 infection. Later this year, Kasper Asgreen and Davide Ballerini also saw their preparations for the classics affected by it.