Alpecin-Deceuninck has withdrawn from participation from Tour de Pologne, the team announced Tuesday evening. From COVID-19 tests performed on the same day as stage 3, the team confirmed that five staff members returned positive results. Test results for all riders were ‘all negative’, according to the official statement.
“We are sorry to announce our withdrawal from Tour de Pologne after 5 COVID cases within our team staff onsite,” the team posted to social media just hours after the completion of stage 3 in Przemyśl.
“In the interest of the health of our riders, team staff, and all other teams participating, we have decided – in agreement with the UCI and the local organizing committee – to leave this year’s tour de Pologne.”
Twenty minutes after the announcement of withdrawal was made, Alpecin-Deceuninck confirmed on Twitter that it was only staff, and not riders, who tested positive, “EXTRA – We received confirmation that all tests done today with the riders turned out to be ALL negative. So no positive cases with our riders.”
The team currently has a seven-rider squad competing at the Tour de Pologne, with Stefano Oldani their best-placed rider in 18th overall after three stages, in a large pack of four riders just 20 seconds off the lead of Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe).
Also competing were David van der Poel, Sjoerd Bax, Tobias Bayer, Senne Leysen, Jakub Mareczko and Fabio van den Bossche. Van der Poel and Bayer were involved in a crash in the opening kilometres of stage 3 but would finish the gargantuan 237.9km ride.
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