About an hour before the stage began, RCS Sport and the UCI announced that PCR testing of all riders and staff conducted on the rest day had recorded two more COVID-19 cases.
Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and AG2R La Mondiale staff left the race after testing positive for coronavirus, but both teams started Tuesday morning.
A week earlier, Jumbo Visma and Mitchelton Scott were withdrawn from the Giro all together after testing positive on their first rest day. Two days later, the UCI denied a request from EF Pro Cycling to end the Giro early, but additional rapid tests were ordered for all race bubbles last weekend.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport before stage 16, Veni expressed satisfaction that only two of the 492 riders and staff managed on Monday's rest day tested positive for COVID-19.
"This shows that we have nothing to hide and that we take our controls seriously. Considering the situation in our country, where many mayors have already requested some kind of curfew, I think the number [of confirmed positives] is very small," Begni said. 'The fact that there are only two cases is very positive.'
Midway through last week, EF Pro Cycling announced that it would withdraw from the race if any of its teams tested positive, and Thomas de Gendt said that after 17 police officers escorting the e-bike race Giro E were confirmed positive for COVID-19, the Lot Soudal team stated that they considered withdrawing from the race.
"Apart from last week's incident, the teams seem pretty calm and composed. 'They realize it's not a Giro issue, it's a whole world issue. They realize it's not a Giro problem, it's a problem for the whole world. They are delighted that we are constantly testing almost every day. Not only to protect the Giro, but to protect the world around us.
Outside the race bubble, the number of coronavirus cases in Italy has continued to rise since the event began in Palermo more than two weeks ago. On Sunday, Italy reported a record 11,705 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced new regulations that evening to curb the spread of the virus, but elite sports, including Serie A and the Giro, have not been directly affected by the additional measures.
"Because of the climate across the country, we are still moving forward day by day," said the prime minister. But as I have always said, we must hold our heads high and live with this issue."
It remains to be seen if the Giro will be able to climb all the mountains on its route in this tough final week. Stelvio is the highlight of stage 17, with a report from the 2,700-meter summit expected Thursday afternoon. After last week's snowfall, the roads have been cleared and temperatures are higher than last week, but the wind chill at the summit (and on the descent) will be felt.
"In October, I was more worried about the temperature than the snow. If it rains at that altitude, the feeling of cold will be higher," Veni told RAI on Sunday, downplaying concerns that Saturday's final stage might prevent the Giro from planning a detour to France via Agnello.
"We are talking about this issue now, but we have to look at it day by day because the situation is changing from country to country. We have not been notified of the problem by the French authorities."
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