Israel Start-Up Nation riders at Vuelta a Burgos all return negative COVID-19 tests

The Vuelta a Burgos organisers announced late on Tuesday evening that all members of the Israel Start-Up Nation team – riders and staff – who had been tested for COVID-19 at the race had all returned negative results.

Alex Dowsett had joined Itamar Einhorn in being withdrawn from the Spanish stage race by the team as a precautionary measure after another of the team's riders, Omer Goldstein, tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the race.

Goldstein, who is not at the race, returned a positive test on Monday, but came into contact with Einhorn before the latter travelled to Burgos. Einhorn was then isolated from the team and tested on Monday night, but had already come into contact with Dowsett at the team hotel.

A small number of the team’s back-up staff at the five-day race were also tested alongside Einhorn and Dowsett, but all have returned negative tests.

"Having viewed the tests carried out and presented by the team Israel Start-Up Nation to the Vuelta a Burgos COVID-19 commission, it is confirmed that all PCR tests carried out on the part of the team present in Burgos have been negative," the race press release stated.

"These double tests were carried out on all those [individuals] who had been in contact with the rider who was not down to take the start of the race, as a preventative measure, after he had been in contact with an individual who last Saturday had tested positive in a PCR test," it concluded.

Bora-Hansgrohe's Felix Großschartner won the first stage in Burgos on Tuesday, and will wear the leader's jersey for Wednesday's second stage between Castrojeriz and Villadiego.