Tom Pidcock withdraws from Tour de France as INEOS Grenadiers fear Covid-19 outbreak

Covid-19 is not a story of the past and the Tour de France riders know it very well. Infection cases are growing in the peloton and many riders and teams fear their race ending because of it. Olympic Champion and INEOS Grenadiers headliner Tom Pidcock has been taken out of the race as the British team report him possibly being infected.

"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," INEOS shared this morning on social media.

This does not come as a surprise. Pidcock, who has been fighting for stage wins throughout this race and has finished second in the gravel stage to Troyes, was spotted getting dressed in a team vehicle this Friday whilst wearing a mask. The same was said of Geraint Thomas. It has become evident that Pidcock showed symptoms of Covid-19 and this may be the case within the INEOS bubble.

Whilst the team do not confirm a positive test, the worries are large enough that Pidcock has now been removed from the race. As the team support Carlos Rodríguez - currently fifth in the overall classification - they want to assure they do not miss out on a result due to unforeseen circumstances. Pidcock will take some rest before tackling the Olympic Games, where he will be a prime contender for the title in the Mountain Bike event.

As confirmed Covid cases rise in the peloton, so does the tension. In last afternoon's press conference Remco Evenepoel was very much annoyed at the lack of protection from journalists, and is now one of the several riders who is consistently wearing a mask in the mixed area: "Because you guys don't wear them. We want to stay as safe as possible. Covid doesn't come into the peloton by itself, it comes from outside,"