LE PECQ, France -- The four Tour de France teams that lost staff members to positive COVID-19 tests this week won't automatically be sent home if another staff member tests positive, the race organizer said Thursday.
Health rules for the race state that teams can be sent home if they have two or more positive tests in a seven-day span. But race organizer ASO said Thursday that the day counter will be reset to zero when teams are tested again on the Tour's second and final rest day Monday.
That clarification lifts a weight off Cofidis, AG2R La Mondiale, Ineos Grenadiers and Mitchelton Scott, the teams that each saw a staff member test positive on the first rest day.
But any team that registers two or more positives Monday could still be sent home. The battery of tests will be the last before the Tour finishes Sept. 20 in Paris.
No rider was positive in the first round of rest-day tests.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme did test positive and was forced to quit the race for what he hopes will be just one week of self-isolation.