Fernando Gaviria will miss the Tour of the UAE after testing positive for COVID-19 for the third time in two years.

The Colombian sprinter won two stages at the recent Tour of Oman and was scheduled to travel to the UAE for the first stage on Sunday, but was found positive in a pre-race protocol PCR test.

According to UAE Team Emirates, Gaviria's replacement is fellow sprinter Pascal Ackermann. Team leader Tadey Pogachar is recovering from COVID-19 and will lead the team in its home race.

Despite strict protocols to protect athletes and staff, team planning and race registration are disrupted by the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Gaviria contracted COVID-19 during a tour of the UAE and spent about a month in an Abu Dhabi hospital in March 2020. He reportedly showed only mild symptoms and was discharged from the hospital only after three tests came back negative.

He contracted COVID-19 for the second time at the 2020 Giro d'Italia and tested positive in the second round of rest day testing at the Corsa Rosa at the end of the season.

It is not known where or how the third COVID-19 was detected. He returned to Monaco from the Tour of Oman on Wednesday. He will now be quarantined until he tests negative and must undergo a medical check according to the UCI's COVID-19 protocol before racing again.

"In accordance with the pre-race protocol, Gaviria underwent a PCR test at his home in Monaco before leaving for the UAE Tour and tested positive," said Dr. Adrian Rotunno, medical director of the UAE Team Emirates.

"He is feeling well and is in the mandatory quarantine period and will return to training after further tests.