Egan Bernal's Ineos Grenadiers team, Mitchelton-Scott, AG2R La Mondiale, and Cofidis are closing in on a case of COVID-19, which would ban them from the Tour de France. However, there is still confusion as to whether they will be forced to withdraw from the race if they test positive on Monday's second rest day.

The teams are understandably on edge with each team's positive test. Mitchelton-Scott's Adam Yates wore the race leader's yellow jersey for four days last week and is looking to win the mountain stages, AG2R-La Mondiale team leader Romain Bardet is currently in fourth place overall, and Cofidis, with Guillaume Martin in third overall.

Tour de France organizers ASO and UCI confirmed that four staff members from four teams tested positive for coronavirus in PCR swab tests conducted around the first rest day on Sunday and Monday. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme also tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from the race.

It is not known if the four positives were confirmed by secondary testing by the mobile testing unit set up by Tour de France organizer ASO. One of the teams involved told Cyclingnews that the secondary testing was scheduled to be done only for the riders, and that staff members were instead scheduled to undergo serological blood tests to better understand the onset and status of the COVID-19 positives.

The agreed medical protocol for the Tour de France states that if a team has two positives in riders and staff within seven days, they will be withdrawn from the race. Prior to the Grande Pearl in Nice, teams attempted to limit this rule to riders only. However, French medical authorities overturned the agreement between the ASO and the UCI and announced that any two cases among the team bubble of 30 riders and staff would result in expulsion from the race.

The first rest day inspections will take place on Sunday and Monday, and the second inspection will also take place over two days. If two positive tests are found within a seven-day period, the "two-strike team out" rule will be invoked, which could have a fundamental impact on the Tour de France.

One of the four teams with one positive test told Cycling News that they understood that the seven-day period would end before the next series of tests on the second rest day. However, French medical authorities are hoping otherwise, with L'Équipe magazine suggesting that "if any one of the four teams tests positive again [on the second rest day], they will have to pack their bags."

L'Équipe used a soccer analogy, describing Ineos Grenadiers, Mitchelton Scott, AG2R La Mondiale, and Cofidis as being shown a yellow card and expelled if presented with a second yellow card.

Theoretically, stricter rules would be enforced if the Ineos Grenadiers staff tested positive in a second series of tests to be conducted around the rest day next Monday, even if 2019 winner Egan Bernal was wearing the race leader's yellow jersey, team would have to leave the Tour de France.

François Lemarchand, who replaced Prudhomme as interim race director, said before the start of stage 11 on Wednesday that a team that tests positive for one will be ruled out if it tests positive for another in the "next series of tests."

However, a source told Reuters (opens in new tab) that organizers may reset the seven-day deadline and cancel the yellow cards from the first rest day after talks with the French government.

"But before that, there will be discussions and a decision between the health authorities, the Tour race organizers, and the International Cycling Union," Lemarchand added.

The four affected teams remained tight-lipped about who had failed the tests and when the positive staff members had been tested.

According to Cyclingnews, Ineos Grenadiers kept a second staff member away from the Tour de France because he was in the same room as the positive person.

Several teams conducted internal saliva tests, which players and staff thought were negative. However, the official PCR swab test showed four positives.

Cofidis team manager Cedric Vasseur turned away reporters before the start of stage 11 on Tuesday because they were outside the race bubble.

AG2R-La Mondiale manager Vincent Lavenu reportedly lashed out at "those who want the team to disappear." He told Reuters that staff members who tested positive were quarantined to their homes and his roommate was sent home despite testing negative.

"There are no plans to do any further testing before the tests in Grenoble," Ravenu told Reuters."

"I don't think we should add more stress every day to bring joy to those who are waiting for the team to be kicked out.

Before Tuesday's stage began, Lavenu said: "The thing is that the lucky dip spares no one. You have to understand that it can happen to anyone. We should not stigmatize anyone for being unlucky despite all the measures that have been taken. The measures taken are not enough to protect the peloton 100%. Our sport is serious, but no one is safe. Our goal is to finish the Tour feeling great with our team. While we have the race, this pressure is on everyone. We have to deal with it."