Egan Bernal diagnosed with COVID-19

Egan Bernal has tested positive for COVID-19 just days after winning the Giro d’Italia, forcing him to delay a return to Colombia to celebrate his Grand Tour victory.

According to a message put out by his personal press team and later confirmed by his Ineos Grenadiers team, Bernal discovered he was positive for COVID-19 when doing a PCR test in preparation to travel from Europe to Colombia on Saturday.

He and his partner Maria Fernanda, who also tested positive, are now in isolation in Monaco and are said to have minor symptoms.

In a brief statement, Ineos Grenadiers said: "Egan still plans to return to Colombia once his isolation period is over to mark his Giro d'Italia victory in his homeland."

Bernal won the Giro d’Italia on Sunday in Milan after leading the race for 12 days and fighting off challenges from Simon Yates and Damiano Caruso. He stayed in Milan on Monday for media and publicity obligations tied to the race and then travelled to Monaco.

Bernal had already said he would not ride the Tour de France or the Tokyo Olympics, favouring the Vuelta a Espana as a major goal in the second part of the 2021 season.

Geraint Thomas and Richard Carapaz are set to lead Ineos Grenadiers at the Tour de France.