A few days before the start of the Tour de France, top German cyclists are worried about a possible infection with the coronavirus and the associated cancellation of the 109th Tour of France.
"Would definitely be a bitter disappointment"
"It's another tremor until the result comes. You don't even realise anything and suddenly you're positive and all of a sudden your preparation since the classics is for nothing," said Cofidis pro Simon Geschke (36) after his third place at the German championships in Sauerland. "Of course, there are always worse things, but it would definitely be a bitter disappointment."
A PCR test is scheduled today for all riders eligible for the Tour, which will ultimately decide who will start in the Tour of France starting on Friday in Denmark's capital Copenhagen.
Slip before second Tour de France participation
"Of course it's a shitty feeling and the fear is well-founded," said Jonas Rutsch from the US EF Education-EasyPost team, who finished fifth in the championship, to the German Press Agency. The 24-year-old from southern Hesse is about to take part in his second Tour - provided a positive test result doesn't throw a spanner in the works.
At the Tour de Suisse in mid-June, a corona wave thinned out the field of participants in the 85th Tour of Switzerland considerably. More than 40 riders had to end the race prematurely, including Maximilian Schachmann. The Bora-hansgrohe pro was therefore unable to take part in the national title fights in Sauerland and had to hand over his champion's jersey to his team-mate Nils Politt without a fight.
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