ZAt the beginning an existential question: Would you continue to pedal in the Giro d’Italia of professional cyclists if you tested positive for the corona virus? Remco Evenepoel, favorite for the overall victory, decided against it. Observers have already speculated that his weakness on the mountain during Saturday’s stage, when Primoz Roglic left him behind, was the work of the virus, while in the same breath his toughness during the victory run a day later in the 35-kilometer individual time trial was praised.
Full speed into the lactate. A tough dog defies virus! Corona can initially increase performance because the core body temperature rises and the competitive athlete gets up to speed at 38.5 degrees Celsius, as Professor Wilhelm Bloch explains in general and analogously when asked.
Serious consequences
The head of the department for molecular and cellular sports medicine at the German Sport University Cologne is intensively concerned with the consequences of Covid-19 for the body and soul of athletes. When asked whether Evenepoel was weakened or even strengthened for a moment, he dismissed it: “Pure speculation.”
Only the risk of suffering long-term damage with the virus in the body under full steam is tangible. Even if the symptoms of a disease do not appear (for the time being) after a positive test. Despite this, Sven Erik Byström continued to cycle – “it was hard” – until the Norwegian started to see the first symptoms on Tuesday.
According to Bloch, the descent of positives is the quickest way to get back on track about ten days later; preferably, although not necessarily, after the proverbial thorough check. A corona underestimation, Bloch warns, turns some athletes into long-term patients.
