João Almeida - Bota Lume

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Out of the Giro with covid

Unbelievable...

 

[tobydawq]

Why the hell are they still testing for that?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Why the hell are they still testing for that?

Probably some goverment protocols that are still in place in italy.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Why the hell are they still testing for that?

Because he has light symptoms and it's obviously in every teams interest to stop a disease spreading through their team.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

 

[carolina]

He might have some symptoms, we don't know. It could explain why he had problems recovering from the previous stage.

Either way, covid can be very aggressive on the lungs and the remaining stages are quite hard. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Pistolas]

Just surprise how few cases have been. Pity for João as is season was focused on the Giro.

 

[SafeBet]

There are worse things in life than a rider abandoning a cycling race but I'm just sad now.
COVID might explain his below average performance yesterday, but he was still close to the podium and you never know in a GT.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

Voodoo. Look whose in fifth place.

 

[Pistolas]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

No problem. They worked all the time to keep a safety distance to him. I thought they were fearing him for GC, but now I understand some of opinions here, they didn't care about him they just wanted Covid safety distance.

 

[Ricco']

Voodoo. Look whose in fifth place.

It would be the ultimate Nibs victory to win it after the top-4 went away with Covid in the last 3 days of the race.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Wow, spectacular news.

Now, imagine that the same would happen to Pogi, and Pogi would have to leave the Tour in week three, due to Covid. Then Primoz could win the Tour de France…

I‘m really sorry for Almeida…

For his health, though, it‘s better he‘s not starting any more. Friday, and the weekend, would have been three stages of full gas for him, and that‘s not good when he has the Covid virus in his system. I hope he recovers well and quickly, and would love to see him on the Vuelta podium.

 

[luckyboy]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

Wouldn't say they've exactly been riding alongside him recently..

 

[ice&fire]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

Actually Joao has been cautious enough to keep his social distance to the top 3.

 

[KZD]

What a shitty way of having to abandon the Giro. I hope its the last year that covid protocols are still in place although this could actually explain why he lost more time yesterday.

 

[Pistolas]

He might have some symptoms, we don't know. It could explain why he had problems recovering from the previous stage.

Either way, covid can be very aggressive on the lungs and the remaining stages are quite hard. Better safe than sorry.

One more mytical suffering performance by João: chasing alone strongest climbers in the race for kms, with Covid in the lungs, and managing to loose only 1 min mainly due to domestic support. More seriously, hope he recovers well from the infection and can race at top level soon.

 

[Tour de Berghem]

Probably some goverment protocols that are still in place in italy.

No, he had some symptoms.

There's in this moment no protocols from Italian government that
force someone to do a covid test.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

It would be the ultimate Nibs victory to win it after the top-4 went away with Covid in the last 3 days of the race.

Exactly… Sadly, since Pantani in Madonna di Campiglio, we have been knowing that the Giro isn‘t over till it‘s over.

Federations, organizers, rival teams, rival riders certainly have the possibility to make a certain rider test positive for Covid. Either, they infect him, or, they make a negative test sample a positive one.

I love pro cycling, but it has always attracted people with criminal energy, and probably always will. Covid has become a factor, and decides about victory and podium or DNF/DNS.

 

[tobydawq]

Ridiculous. So technically any of the other top 3 could also test positive in the coming days. They ride alongside of him.

Well, on most of the climbs.

To be fair, he has been socially distancing himself on the climbs.

 

[samhocking]

You're not allowed to race with Covid, UCI's protocols are still in place for 2022 season. Basically A 'negative' PCR test less than 2 days old is required for all riders and official team members and COVID screening tests on rest days in Grand Tours.

 

[groogster]

Now I understand why he didn’t recover well from Tuesday stage. Maybe that’s why he lost so much time yesterday, riding those brutal stages with covid in his body!

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

F#ck this, I'm so sorry for Almeida. He was basically assured a very decent fourth place and maybe, just maybe, a spot on the podium if another contender had a bad day... so tired of this covid bullsh#t.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I am not an Almida fan but I cannot imgmahine a more frustrating way to see a rider leave a race and its really a shame for him. I feel almost angry.

 

[Salvarani]

Not that strange to get sick after weeks of racing. Your body being very tired at this point. It is easier to get sick and riding on could be dangerous to his health. You shouldnt train or race while sick, even though we all have probably done that with a cold or something in the past. It could be very bad for the heart and so on. No need for him to fight on for a 4th or 5th place, even though with a positive test he would not be able to anyway.

 

[Eclipse]

Ah man this is so sad