Team masseuse tested positive on Friday, but riders cleared to race after negative PCR tests
Alejandro Valverde riding for Spain at the 2020 World Championships in Imola(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Spain's squad for the men's road race are clear to start Saturday's 234-kilometre race at the Tokyo Olympic Games after coming through a COVID-19 coronavirus scare in the team camp on Friday.
Team masseuse Joseba Eguezabal tested positive for the virus on Friday, but with the riders subsequently having passed PCR tests, the full team will now be able to take the start in Musashinonomori Park.
A negative PCR test six hours before an event is needed in order for athletes to participate at the Tokyo Games.
Alejandro Valverde, Ion Izagirre, Gorka Izagirre, Omar Fraile and Jesús Herrada will now all be taking the start, as well as Mavi García and Ane Santesteban of the women's squad, who race on Sunday, also clear to race.
A Marca report quoting Spanish Federation president José Luis López Cerró stated that all riders in the squad had tested negative.
"They have confirmed to us that they can ride," he said. "We have had the great news after the initial scare. We hope that our soigneur is well."
A statement issued by the Spanish Olympic Committee later confirmed the news, adding that more protections will be in place before the upcoming events.
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"Due to the positive test of the masseuse Joseba Eguezabal, all the members of the national team have undergone a PCR test whose result has returned negative and they will be able to compete tomorrow by increasing the sanitary protection measures."
🚨 OFICIAL: Debido al positivo del masajista de la @RFECiclismo, Joseba Eguezabal, todos los miembros del equipo nacional se han sometido a una PCR cuyo resultado ha sido NEGATIVO y podrán competir mañana aumentando las medidas sanitarias de protección. pic.twitter.com/xI6LyJfEVjJuly 23, 2021
Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.
