Then no BORA-Hansgrohe at the start of Gent-Wevelgem. The riders of the German cycling team were nevertheless ready to start in Ypres with their team bus, but were banned from starting from the organization that did not want to overrule the race doctor.
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BORA-hansgrohe was unable to start the E3 Saxo Bank Classic due to a positive corona test by the young British rider Matthew Walls. The other riders (Nils Politt, Maciej Bodnar, Juraj Sagan, Patrick Gamper, Marcus Burghardt and Daniel Oss) tested negative, just like sports director Jean-Pierre Heynderickx, but had to be quarantined for seven days because they had too close contact with their teammate. Four of the seven would also start in Gent-Wevelgem, but that was now prohibited by the organization. In total, it concerned seventeen people – riders and staff – of the team who were required to be quarantined. It was impossible for the German team to gather additional riders and staff members in time.
“BORA-Hansgrohe hoped to start because they experienced the quarantine of seventeen people as unreasonable,” explains Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics. “But if the race doctor in good conscience places those seventeen people in quarantine and defines contacts as high-risk, then we as an organizer will certainly not be able to change that. We cannot overrule that decision. That would put the whole quarantine system in jeopardy. Also for professional sports. And so we have to accept that. After contacts with the team, the UCI, Belgian Cycling and the Ministry of Sport, we have to accept that the quarantine is in place and unfortunately we cannot let them start. ”
BORA-Hansgrohe: “Who had to be quarantined and why is completely unclear”
At BORA-Hansgrohe they disagree with the explanation of Flanders Classics. “It is completely unclear which criteria were used to determine who is subject to quarantine rules,” said the German team. “I am very disappointed and angry,” says team manager Ralf Denk. “A local doctor can block an entire team in one of the greatest one-day races in the world. We had one positive Corona case with Walls and have the roommate and a physio as high-risk contact. That they should be isolated and quarantined is perfectly clear. However, of course we have other riders and staff on site, so some of them were also ordered to be quarantined, but not all. ”
Not even in Dwars door Vlaanderen
“Who had to be quarantined and why is completely unclear and seems rather arbitrary. Frankly, I can’t understand why other teams are allowed to race after similar cases. We tried everything last night, but the doctor didn’t even answer us anymore. It would be nice to at least understand how he justified his decisions. We currently test every day and all tests so far are negative without exception. The part of the team that has been quarantined will be quarantined until April 1. That also means that we cannot start in Dwars Door Vlaanderen. ”
Yesterday it was also announced that the Trek-Segafredo of defending champion Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven is not allowed to start in Gent-Wevelgem due to positive corona tests within their team (read more).
And no Tom Pidcock at the start of Gent-Wevelgem either. The INEOS Grenadiers team is doing it with a pawn less today.
Griet Langedock, co-organizer Gent-Wevelgem, emotional about her incurable kidney disease: “I’ve had a hard time”
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