Trek-Segafredo will take on the Giro d’Italia without team leader Giulio Ciccone after the team confirmed that he won’t be able to start the race following his COVID-19 infection.
The Italian rider tested positive for the virus on Monday and has suffered mild symptoms leaving him unable to train in the lead-up to the Grand Tour.
Ciccone, who has won three stages of the Giro in the past, was set to lead the team’s GC challenge this May. However, the decision taken by him and the team following continuing positive test results means he’ll miss out on the race and a Grande Partenza in his home region of Abruzzo next Saturday.
“Giving up the Giro breaks my heart,” Ciccone said. “I can’t find any other words to describe my feelings right now. I would have faced my favourite race after the best start to a season of my career. I would have started from home, from my Abruzzo, a historic event, even unique.
“Everything was perfect and then… I mean, it feels absurd. I have to swallow a bitter pill and the thought of what I could have done in this Giro will be in my mind for a long time. On the other hand, I have to listen to my body.
“I have to recover in the best way possible because the season is long and the risk of compromising it would be too high. It’s a tough decision, but I have to accept the fact and look beyond it. As soon as I return to racing, I will turn this disappointment into determination.”
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