Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) has abandoned the Tour de France, climbing off the bike early on Friday’s stage 13.
The Spaniard, who lay eighth overall at 7:09 behind race leader, teammate Tadej Pogačar, had recently tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper AS.
Ayuso reportedly returned a test showing low levels of the virus. He arrived at the stage start in a separate vehicle from his teammates and has been eating meals with reduced contact with other team members.
The 21-year-old had been seen racing towards the back of the peloton in the early kilometres of stage 13 from Agen to Pau. He stopped his debut Tour just as the attacks and accelerations were flying at the front of the peloton in the crosswinds 25km into the stage.
The withdrawal means that Pogačar is now down a key lieutenant for the weekend’s upcoming mountain tests in the Pyrenees, as well as for the Alps later in the race.
More to come…
