To tell the truth, looking at the numbers coming from Spain, right now I would be very worried about the Vuelta if I were to occupy Javier Guillén’s position ”. The sentence was launched yesterday by the director of the Giro d’Italia, Mauro Vegni, hours after learning of the loss due to coronavirus of one of the figures of his career, the British Simon Yates, from Mitchelton.
They asked Vegni about the end of this Giro and he explained that “our only great goal is to reach Milan and only a very important authority could prevent us. If not, we will be in Milan, “he said. And then he looked at the rest of the season, which has just lost a fetish event like the Paris-Roubaix. It was when he put himself in the shoes of his counterpart in the Tour of Spain: “I know that Guillén has also established mechanisms to obtain the necessary tranquility and security in the face of the pandemic, I think that if things do not get more complicated in Spain he will be able to achieve it, but if exceptional measures are established throughout the country … in their place, I would be very concerned about the Vuelta right now ”.
The director of the Giro has declared himself “dejected” by the cancellation of the Paris-Roubaix “one of the most important classics on the calendar, comparable perhaps only to the Sanremo. I think that if the same thing happens to us, if the authorities order the cancellation, there is little we can do ”.
Mauro came, director
“We must reach Milan, but looking at the numbers that come from Spain …”
The loss of Simon Yates has alerted the entire Giro. At the moment his team, Mitchelton, remains in the competition, although it only has five riders, because the analysis of all the components of the group, cyclists and assistants, did not give any other positive. But the first day of rest is also approaching (tomorrow Monday) and with it the massive tests for the entire peloton. The Tour de France saved the situation, but at the Giro, the organizers themselves acknowledge, not everything works with the same rigidity. “Please, I have to insist, it is essential that all spectators wear the mask at all times”, Vegni stressed yesterday on Italian television.
Simon Yates, 28, began to show suspicious symptoms in the hours after the completion of the seventh stage, in Brindisi. “The medical team – explained the Mitchelton – immediately requested a rapid test that indicated a positive result. A second PCR test later confirmed the result ”. He immediately separated the corridor from the rest of the group and was evacuated by ambulance
to start a quarantine period.
Although off the hook for the final victory due to his loss of time in the third stage, ending at Etna, Simon Yates remained one of the contenders for the podium. He occupied the twenty-first position, almost 4 minutes behind the leader, the Portuguese João Almeida.
Simon yates
The Briton from Mitchelton has abandoned the Italian race after testing positive for coronavirus
The loss of Simon Yates joins other outstanding figures of this Giro, such as that of the Colombian Miguel Ángel López and especially that of the Welshman Geraint Thomas, head of the Ineos ranks. Simon Yates, who led the Giro for thirteen days two years ago, has renewed his contract with Mitchelton until the end of 2022, while his brother Adam has signed for Ineos for next season.
