Wave of criticism arises from Vuelta peloton after Ayuso's permanence despite Covid positive - "Let the circus continue"

Juan Ayuso has tested positive for Covid-19 this morning at the Vuelta a Espana, but it was decided that the 19-year old would remain in the race despite this. The team has argumented that he is not infectious, similar to what had been said about Rafal Majka at the Tour de France.

Over two dozen riders have abandoned the race with Covid, several of those asymptomatic. José Herrada had that faith as he left the race early on, and he commented this morning in criticism of the situation. "Some go home without knowing viral load. Others running knowing they are positive while waiting for a viral load result. Let the circus continue," he said on a Twitter post.

Despite being posted minutes after the announcement, Herrada later added that "... I'm not talking about Ayuso as someone has already commented. More than anything because I don't know his case in depth enough to talk about it." The comment has sparked Burgos-BH's Manuel Peñalver - who had to forfeit the Vuelta before the initial team time-trial due to an infection to comment aswell.

In a now deleted reply, Peñalver responded: "With a simple antigen testing positive and being asymptomatic, they sent me home a few hours after starting the time trial. Without being able to stop doing pcr and look at viral load. 48 hours later I tested negative at home". With the same procedure being done by UAE Team Emirates at the Tour de France, it has now sparked a debate regarding the difference of means between teams, in which the lower level ones do not seem to have the means to prove their riders are safe to remain in the race.