Despite all 166 riders remained in Tour de France Test negative for coronavirus, race director Christian Prudhomme tested positive and will leave the race for eight days.
Following reports in the French media, race organizer ASO confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon, shortly before the start of stage 10 and shortly after announcing that no rider had produced positive results, but that four employees from four different teams were.
In a statement, ASO clarified that Prudhomme was not part of the “racing bubble” and was not required to take the test on Monday, but did it anyway, as he did three times before the race in August. 6, 20 and 27.
Given that he is not part of the bladder, he will not have to leave the race entirely, but instead he will follow French health guidelines and self-isolate for a week. He will be replaced by current ASO sports manager François Lemarchand but is expected to return to the race at Stage 17 on September 16.
“The testing campaign revealed that Christian Prudhomme has tested positive for COVID-19. Director Tour de FranceHe will pass the fourth test in a month and will be in quarantine for seven days, ”the ASO said.
“Although he was not part of the ‘racing bubble’ and did not have direct contact with the drivers and their environment, Christian Prudhomme decided to get tested.”
“The Anti-COVID-19 Protocol, which proves the increased protection of the ‘racial bubble’, unlike others in the organization, allows for the next plan after such a situation. In the absence of Christian Prudhomme from the 10th stage from Ile d’Oleron to Ile de Ré all the way to the 16th stage from La Tour du Pin to Villars de Lens, François Lemarchand, who was in the lead car on the Paris-Nice highway, will take Place Christian Prudhomme in the lead car.
Meanwhile Jean-Michel Monin will replace François Lemarchand in car number 3. Prudhomme himself spoke with the French news agency. AFP, confirming that he will be absent from the Tour for the first time since taking over as Race Director in 2006. “Judging by the information I received, this [the virus] just arrived, ”Prudhomme said. “I am leaving the tour for eight days. I will do as any other French worker would do in this situation. I will be watching Tour on television, which I haven’t done in 15 years. “
“The riders live like monks, which does not apply to me. For this reason, I do not belong to the cycle of racing and do not communicate with the drivers, ”he added before speaking. France 3: “No rider is positive, and that’s the most important thing for me. This shows that this bubble is working. “
Prudhomme, a former journalist, first worked with former tour director Jean-Marie LeBlanc in 2006, and since 2007 has assumed exclusive responsibility for this role. His role is to meet with local officials, authorities and guests during the pre- and post-stage ceremonies. During the race, he drives the organization’s lead car, swinging the race from the sunroof every day when the riders reach kilometer zero after the neutral zone opens.
He regularly hosts special guests in his car, and continued to do so during the 2020 Tour de France with French Prime Minister Jean Castex at Saturday’s eighth stage in the Pyrenees. Parisian has since reported that Castex will now pass the test and will not be able to attend a government seminar in person on Wednesday.
