Pidcock quits Tour de France due to COVID

France (AFP) – British rider Tom Pidcock has withdrawn from the Tour de France on Saturday due to a bout of COVID, his team Ineos Grenadiers announced.

Versatile mountain biker Pidcock is expected to defend his Olympic mountain bike title at the 2024 Games, which begin in just two weeks.

“Tom Pidcock is disappointed and will not be in Stage 14 of the Tour de France today,” Ineos said.

“Tom is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and will now return home to recover on the advice of our medical team.”

The 24-year-old was defeated at the finish of the ninth stage on gravel roads in the region.

Pidcock entered Tour de France folklore in 2021 with his daring descent of the Galibier, before clambering through a frenzied crowd to an epic stage win on Alpe d’Huez.

The Leeds native learned his skills by racing hard to get to school on time and has also won a world cyclo-cross title.

Ineos employees wore masks on the team bus this week.

The UAE’s Juan Ayuso withdrew on Friday for the same reason. After the stage, FDJ team manager Marc Madiot said he expected the mask protocol to be implemented across the peloton soon.

“Once you have COVID in your home, your chances are compromised,” he said.