“There is almost a plague of people with influenza A” - Movistar boss reveals illness outbreak weeks before Tour de France Grand Départ

Movistar Team’s Tour de France build-up has been hit by an influenza A outbreak just weeks before the Grand Départ, with team manager Eusebio Unzue admitting the Spanish squad has been forced into a difficult reset after several riders left the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes through illness.

The timing is awkward for Movistar. The Tour de France starts in Barcelona this summer, giving the Spanish team one of its biggest domestic Grand Départ platforms in years, but the final run-in has been disrupted during one of the last major preparation races before July.

Diego Pescador did not start stage 3 after Movistar confirmed he had been affected by a flu-like illness, while Ivan Romeo and Jefferson Cepeda were later also absent from the race. Speaking to AS, Unzue said the team’s week had been shaped by a wider health issue rather than isolated bad luck.

“The truth is, not very satisfied,” Unzue admitted when asked about the condition of the squad, before revealing the extent of the problem. “We have riders, especially at the Dauphine, who have had to abandon because there is almost a plague of people with influenza A.”

The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has already been a significant reference point for July, particularly with the stage 3 team time trial offering a direct rehearsal for the Tour de France’s Barcelona opener. Movistar completed that test short-handed after Pescador’s withdrawal, with Cian Uijtdebroeks later describing the ride as “even more important for the Tour” because of the team time trial coming in France.

That made the next setbacks more damaging. Romeo, who had played a useful role in the team time trial, was one of the names forced out by the illness outbreak. Unzue confirmed that three riders had been unable to continue this week because of the virus. “They have to abandon because in those conditions they cannot continue, and three riders have had to abandon this week,” he said.

Unzue also suggested the timing of the outbreak was not completely unusual, even if it has landed at a bad moment for Movistar. “It usually happens practically from the 21st to the 20th, in this final period of the transition from spring to summer, there are many infections,” he explained.

Romeo’s withdrawal is the one that will draw most attention. The Spanish rider is an important part of Movistar’s present and future, and any interruption this close to the Tour de France naturally carries extra weight.

Unzue, however, insisted the team is not treating the outbreak as a long-term concern. “Fortunately, it has nothing to do with previous periods,” he said of the virus. “In those conditions you cannot race, and above all you should not put yourself at risk.”

The Movistar boss also stressed that recovery from this type of illness is usually quick. “Normally the recoveries are also very quick and without consequences,” he said.

Before the Tour de France, Movistar still have the National Championships as one of their last major targets. Unzue said the immediate priority is simply to get riders healthy again, but he still believes the team can fight for titles in both the time trial and road race. “Above all, to be well,” he said. “Of course, what everyone will go for, trying to win. We are going to have riders for it, both in the time trial and on the road.”

Movistar’s Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has not collapsed competitively, but the illness outbreak has changed the tone of their final approach to July. With the Grand Départ now close, the team’s biggest short-term objective is getting through the next days without the virus leaving a deeper mark on their Tour plans.