GIOVINAZZO, Italy (AP) — General contender Simon Yates has withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after testing optimistic for the coronavirus, his Mitchelton-Scott workforce introduced earlier than Saturday’s eighth stage.

The 28-year-old British rider ”developed very gentle signs” after Friday’s Stage 7, the workforce mentioned. An instantaneous speedy check confirmed a optimistic consequence, which was confirmed in a second check.

Yates ”was remoted in his single room throughout the course of and is being safely transported by organized ambulance for a interval of quarantine the place the workforce can supply its absolute best care. His signs stay very gentle,” the workforce added.

Yates received the Tirreno-Adriatico warmup race final month. He was in 21st place general, Three minutes, 52 seconds behind race chief Joao Almeida.

Yates unexpectedly misplaced vital time within the climb up Mount Etna throughout Stage Three on Monday.

”Simon displayed a really gentle temperature on Friday night throughout our routine temperature checks, which have been accomplished thrice per day throughout the course of the Giro,” Mitchelton-Scott workforce doctor Matteo Beltemacchi mentioned. ”We instantly requested a speedy check utilizing the providers providing by RCS (the race organizers).

”Fortunately his signs stay very gentle and he’s in any other case in good well being,” Beltemacchi continued. ”All different riders and employees have returned unfavorable outcomes and have been cleared to proceed the race, however as a precautionary measure we’ll monitor the state of affairs intently and endure additional testing within the coming days.”

Yates’ withdrawal deprives the race of one other contender after Geraint Thomas withdrew after breaking his pelvis in a fall throughout Stage 3.

Italy recorded certainly one of its highest single-day totals of COVID-19 infections for the reason that begin of the outbreak on Friday, including 5,372 circumstances and 28 new deaths to its official toll.

The Well being Ministry mentioned Friday that northern Lombardy, the onetime European epicenter of the pandemic, added probably the most new circumstances at 983.

The race ends Oct. 25 in Milan – the capital of Lombardy.

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