La Vuelta rocked as top-10 GC riders Simon Yates and Pavel Sivakov both withdraw with Covid

ByEurosport

Updated 31/08/2022 at 10:07 GMT

Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) and Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) have become the latest riders to withdraw from La Vuelta after both testing positive for Covid-19. Yates had been fifth in the general classification, some 4’50” shy of race leader Remco Evenepoel of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, with Sivakov at 7'49" in ninth. They are the 16th and 17th riders to test positive at the race.

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Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) and Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) are the latest riders to withdraw from La Vuelta after testing positive for Covid-19.

2018 Vuelta winner Yates began to suffer with a light fever on Tuesday night and returned a positive test on Wednesday morning ahead of Stage 11.

“Team BikeExchange-Jayco leader Simon Yates has been forced to withdraw from La Vuelta a Espana after testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of today’s stage 11,” read a statement on his team’s website.

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“Yates, a former winner of the race in 2018, currently sits in fifth position on the general classification, having moved up one place after yesterday’s individual time trial stage from Elche to Alicante.

“The 30-year-old suffered with mild symptoms overnight and returned a positive test this morning, and in accordance with strict team policy, Yates will not continue in La Vuelta.

“Team BikeExchange-Jayco’s medical team will carry out further testing to ensure the safety of other team riders and staff members.”

Sivakov's team, Ineos Grenadiers, later confirmed on social media that their rider had returned a positive lateral flow test and would also not start Stage 11 of the race.

Yates had been sitting fifth in the general classification, some 4’50” shy of race leader Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), but may well have challenged for a position on the podium. Sivakov was in ninth, at 7'49". Their withdrawals sees Sivakov's team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart move up to eighth in the GC.

Yates and Sivakov are the 16th and 17th riders to test positive for Covid-19 so far in this edition of La Vuelta.

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