BORA-hansgrohe had to withdraw at the last minute on Friday from the Belgian WorldTour course E3 Saxo Bank Classic. British rider Matthew Walls tested positive for the corona virus, after which the entire team did not appear at the start.
Although all teammates of Walls tested negative, the entire team was excluded from participation according to the rules of the Belgian cycling association. The team included the Germans Nils Politt and Marcus Burghardt and the Italian Daniel Oss.
According to the corona guidelines of the Belgian federation, BORA-hansgrohe is not allowed to start with the intended team for the E3 Saxo Bank Classic on Sunday in Gent-Wevelgem. The German team will also have to start with other riders next week in Dwars door Vlaanderen.
The E3 Saxo Bank Classic started early in the afternoon on Friday. Among others Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Niki Terpstra, the 2018 winner, were at the start in Harelbeke.
Last year, the course was canceled due to the corona virus. The last edition, in 2019, was won by the Czech Zdenek Stybar. The race is seen as the dress rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders.
Daniel Oss is one of the victims of the positive test of his teammate Matthew Walls.
Photo: ANP
Source site www.nu.nl
