Alex Dowsett is out of the Vuelta a Burgos (Israel Startup Nation) along with Itamar Einhorn.

Omer Goldstein, who did not participate in the race, tested positive on Monday, but had contact with Einhorn before he moved to Burgos and was quarantined from the team and tested Monday night.

The Israeli Startup Nation decided to pull the rider from the race because of this, but on Tuesday morning the team also confirmed that Dowsett would not start because the British rider had contact with Einhorn at the team hotel.

Three staff members were also quarantined to the team hotel in Burgos, leaving five riders to start the first stage on Tuesday.

During the stage, the Israel Startup Nation issued a statement on the matter, announcing that Einhorn had tested negative. Dowsett was also tested on Monday, but is awaiting results.

The team explained that both Dowsett and Einhorn were "perfectly healthy," but that they could not take the risk of allowing them to compete because the test results would not be back before the race began.

"It pains us that the athletes will miss the race, but because the test results did not come back in time, we had to take this extreme precaution to avoid any risk," said sport director Oscar Guerrero. "It's very unfortunate. I really feel for the players.

Although he was unable to race, Dowsett was confident that the team had done the right thing.

"Not being at the start of the Vuelta a Burgos is a big disappointment. But even with the small risk of me testing positive for Covid, we acted responsibly and reassured the entire peloton.

"The team made the right decision to ensure that the bubble was absolutely safe. We wish the team the best of luck and hope to resume racing soon. I thank the team, the race, and the UCI.

Goldstein recently returned to Girona from Israel with a special exemption. He was scheduled to resume racing next week, but was quarantined because he was asymptomatic. According to the team, Einhorn was the only athlete in Girona who had direct contact with Goldstein.

The Vuelta a Burgos will begin on Tuesday with 153 riders on the start line for the 157-km stage from the Catedral de Burgos to the Mirador del Castillo.