tested positive, Geoffrey Bouchard first runner to give up because of the Covid – Liberation

He is the first to retire due to the virus on this Tour de France 2022. Geoffrey Bouchard, tested positive for Covid-19, leaves the competition before the start of the 8th stage in Dole (Jura), announces this Saturday morning the AG2R Citroën team. Bouchard, suffering during the 7th stage, underwent an antigen test on his return to the hotel which proved positive. He was immediately isolated from the rest of the group.

“I did not feel well during the stage”explains Bouchard, 30, who has won the mountain classification of the Giro and the Vuelta in the past. “It’s a big disappointment because I was entering my favorite terrain, the mountains. It was my first Tour de France and it’s sad to end it like this.”.

The tests undergone by the other members of the group, riders and management, were negative, specifies Dr Serge Niamke, doctor of the French team, adding that “the team carries out antigenic tests every three days in addition to the tests organized by the Tour de France organizer”. The latter have all been negative since the start of the test.

“We have implemented and applied a very strict protocol since the start of the health crisis to guarantee the health of our runners and our management”, says team boss Vincent Lavenu. “I am sad for Geoffrey who we were counting on for the next few days. The Tour is not over and we hope to find the front of the stage when we arrive in the mountains”.

Replacements before departure

Unlike last year, the French team has had little success so far in the 2022 Tour. Its leader, the Australian Ben O’Connor (4th in 2021), lost time on the last three stages to find themselves in 46th place in the standings, almost a quarter of an hour behind the yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar.

Due to the new Covid wave, half a dozen riders were replaced in the days preceding the start, on July 1, in Copenhagen. Several team management members have already left the race due to positive tests. Among others, the Quick-Step formation which had to call on three new sports directors since the start of the race.