"There are some sick people in the peloton. There is a lot of coughing" - Covid concerns at the Vuelta a Espana
Cycling
Earlier this year, the Giro d'Italia was decimated by riders being forced to abandon through covid and other illnesses and whilst this hasn't been the case so far at the Vuelta a Espana, disease is spreading throughout the peloton.
"The last 3 days haven't gone so well," TotalEnergies leader Steff Cras, who sits 15th in the general classification heading into stage 11, revealed in a post-stage interview with Sporza. "I've gotten a little sick. I had hoped it would be better after the rest day, but the last 2 nights have been terrible. And my sinuses are bothering me."
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The concerns of Cras though, are of that dreaded news for any rider with ambitions of success at a Grand Tour, positive covid tests.
"There are some sick people in the peloton. There is a lot of coughing. I don't think it is corona," Cras explains, trying to convince himself as much as anything. "I have certainly tested. Yesterday I was quite feverish. I am now taking antibiotics for 2 days. Hopefully I will recover by the weekend."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
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- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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