"We have appealed to the Giro organization to keep the spectators as far away as possible from the riders" - Jumbo-Visma's Richard Plugge on covid concerns amongst peloton

Covid 19 has been causing chaos at the Giro d'Italia. Numerous riders, none more notable than Remco Evenepoel have been forced to withdraw and Jumbo-Visma's Managing Director, Richard Plugge has revealed there is real concern amongst the peloton.

"As a team, we have appealed to the Giro organization to keep the spectators as far away as possible from the riders," the Dutchman revealed in an interview with NOS. “The great thing about cycling is that we can get very close to each other. But that is also a disadvantage when a highly contagious virus is circulating."

Jumbo-Visma know as well as any team the dangers of covid. Their pre-race preparation for the Giro d'Italia was ravaged by positive tests as the likes of Tobias Foss, Robert Gesink and Jos van Emden were all denied the chance to support Primoz Roglic in his quest for the Maglia Rosa due to contracting the virus. For the Plugge the worry around covid is something that is very real.

"For our team the health of the riders is paramount. You shouldn't want to ride a tough time or mountain stage with the flu and a mild fever. Cyclists have to work every day and deliver 100 per cent every day. If they miss even one per cent, it really won't work. In fact, if they are sick, they simply should not start," he explains. "We have to stay on our guard. I think it is logical that the UCI has moved away from the mandatory withdrawal of a rider who has tested positive for corona. The health of the riders is at the top. Moreover, we always look at how someone feels. If someone feels very well, but the test is positive, we simply have to investigate further."