Riders and team staff react to reported UAE Tour coronavirus outbreak

UAE Tour 2020 - 2nd Edition - 5th stage Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet 162 km - 27/02/2020 - Tadej Pogacar (SLO - UAE - Team Emirates) - Adam Yates (GBR - Mitchelton - Scott) - photo Dario Belingheri/BettiniPhoto©2020
The peloton on stage 5 of the UAE Tour (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

With the UAE Tour cancelled and the race hotels on lockdown until tests on riders, staff, organisation and media have been completed, the news and reaction coming from the race – including rumours spreading on social media – have gradually emerged, recalling the events of the last 24 hours. 

On Thursday night, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the UAE Tour organiser RCS Sport announced that two Italian staff members of a participating team tested positive for coronavirus SARS-CoV-19. On Friday the UCI issued a statement saying "two cases of coronavirus were suspected among two staff members of one of the participating teams." 

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