More than 500 coronavirus tests conducted at the Giro d'Italia have come back negative, race organizer RCS has confirmed.

Saliva antigen testing was introduced at the Italian race after eight people tested positive for the virus, including Michael Matthews and Steven Kruijswijk on Monday's first rest day.

A total of 512 riders and team staff were swabbed as part of the testing, all of whom tested negative.

Race director Mauro Veni was forced to adhere to the race's coronavirus protocol after EF Pro Cycling sent a letter earlier this week to organizers to cancel the race after Sunday's stages; EF Pro Cycling's request was rejected by the UCI.

"We are not in a position to do anything about it.

"We need to have the courage to move on: not just in the cycling community, but as a community. We need to look forward and fight with our heads held high," Vegni said.

Jos van Emden of Jumbo Visma also criticized RCS for failing to secure a "bubble" around the riders after the team abandoned the race following a positive test for Kruijswijk. The Dutch rider said that the riders and team members were forced to share a hotel buffet with people outside the coronavirus bubble.

In a joint statement with UCI, the RCS announced that additional PCR testing would be conducted this Monday on the second rest day.