Wilco Kelderman takes into account that the Giro d’Italia must be ended prematurely due to the corona virus. The Dutch climber is currently second in the general classification.
“It could just be that we finish earlier”, Kelderman said on Thursday before the start of the twelfth stage Sporza. “I just look at it from day to day. I now focus until the rest day and then we see further.”
“The corona virus raises many question marks. With this cold weather the virus blows around more easily. That is haunting our heads”, said the Sunweb rider.
Monday is the second rest day of the Giro, after which six more stages are planned until the finish in Milan. In Italy, just like in many other European countries, the corona figures have recently increased again.
During the Giro, top favorites Steven Kruijswijk and Simon Yates, among others, tested positive for the virus. Their teams Jumbo-Visma and Mitchelton-SCOTT later withdrew. Of the 176 riders who started, 144 are left.
Kelderman saw teammate Michael Matthews drop out after a positive test. A retest of the Australian was negative a few days later.
“On the one hand, I am happy that he is now negative, then the chance is less that the virus is also with the rest of the team,” said Kelderman. “On the other hand, it is very unfortunate that he is off course.”
Riders Lotto Soudal are discussing whether to continue Giro
Kelderman is not the only rider in the Giro who is concerned about the virus. The Belgian Thomas De Gendt told Sporza feel unsafe.
“It’s going in the wrong direction. I have the feeling that the organization is hiding things”, said the Lotto Soudal rider.
Thursday became known that seventeen motorcycle police officers who worked at the Giro had tested positive on Monday and have now gone home.
“I have to be honest: my head is not really on course after the news of the seventeen infected officers,” said De Gendt. “We discussed with the riders in the team for twenty minutes whether or not to start, because we are starting to feel unsafe.”
“There have already been more than ten positive cases in our bubble and yesterday you heard several riders coughing. It’s the season of the colds, but in the long run you can no longer concentrate”, the Belgian continues.
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Thomas De Gendt states that the corona virus is going in the wrong direction. (Photo: Pro Shots)
‘A lot of money is involved to get to Milan’
De Gendt does not expect the Giro organization to shorten the course. “There is a lot of money involved and for sponsors it is very important that we go to Milan. They are waiting for the government to make a decision and those decisions come too late.”
De Gendt would have preferred not to start in the twelfth stage, but after consultation with his teammates he did. “At the moment I don’t have the balls to say that I won’t start, but that may be the case later.”
Follow the twelfth stage in the live blog
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