Facemasks, hand disinfectant gels and PCR tests: if you thought they were a thing of the past in cycling, think again. Visma-Lease a Bike have reintroduced a partial COVID-19 protocol at the 2024 Tour de France, Wielerflits reported on Thursday morning, after a number of new coronavirus cases, one affecting their own team, emerged in the peloton.
The entire team, both staff and riders, wore face masks on the plane to Florence for the Grand Départ, the Dutch website reported, and rapid COVID-19 tests will be carried out on the entire squad every day. A special PCR testing machine will be used should further checks be required.
