Numerous corona cases have significantly decimated the field of participants in the 85th Tour de Suisse of the professional cyclists.
Because of Corona: Jumbo-Visma no longer competes
On Thursday, the Dutch Jumbo-Visma team did not start the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse in Ambri.
This was announced by the team led by Sepp Kuss (USA), who had previously finished seventh overall, before the start of the fifth stage. "The reason for this is that, despite all precautionary measures, corona has crept into the team again," it said. It was not announced which of the seven professionals taking part in the Tour of Switzerland had been infected.
Yates tested positive
Team DSM also announced the withdrawal of the Danes Sören Kragh and Casper Pedersen and the Dutchman Cees Bol due to corona. For Team Ineos Grenadiers, the British rider Adam Yates, who was in tenth place overall, tested positive and was withdrawn from the race. A total of 16 professional cyclists did not start the fifth stage, but not all because of corona.
The top of the overall classification was shaken up at the end of the stage, and not just because of the dropouts. The new leader is the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov from the German Bora-hansgrohe team, who won the stage after 190.1 kilometres in Novazzano in the sprint of a leading group and replaced the Briton Stephen Williams as the wearer of the yellow jersey.
Schachmann in the top ten
The best German was Vlasov's team-mate Maximilian Schachmann, who recovered from his Fall on Tuesday recovered well, finishing six seconds behind in ninth place.
The sixth stage on Friday leads over 177.5 kilometres from Locarno to the mountain arrival at Moosalp at an altitude of 2048 metres. With the 2478 metre high Nufenen Pass, another mountain of the highest category is on the programme beforehand. The Tour de Suisse ends on Sunday with an individual time trial in Vaduz.
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