Frenchman Geoffrey Bouchard, first runner forced to retire due to Covid-19

This is news whose teamAG2R Citroën would have gone well. Their French climber Geoffrey Bouchard indeed tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday July 9. Consequence: the rider will not take the start of the eighth stage and is therefore forced to abandon the Grande Boucle.

“He was isolated from the rest of the group.” said his team in a statement, which said organize “antigenic tests every three days in addition to the tests carried out by the organizer of the Tour de France”. He is thus the first rider in the peloton to forfeit during the event because of the Covid-19.

Less than two hours after this announcement, it was the turn of the UAE Emirates team to formalize the withdrawal of Vegard Stake Laengen. Tadej Pogacar’s teammate has indeed also tested positive for CovidSaturday.

#TDF2022 @GeoffBouche will not take the start of stage 8 following an antigen test which turned out to be positive.
https://t.co/KNupZA9s47@GeoffBouche will not take the start of the 8th stage following a positive antigen test.
https://t.co/GH5mpBMhrf pic.twitter.com/8uKnGHe0Ww

— AG2R CITROËN TEAM (@AG2RCITROENTEAM) July 9, 2022

“During the stage, I didn’t feel well. It’s a big disappointment because I was entering my favorite terrain, the mountains. It was my first Tour de France and it’s sad to end it like this. I wish a lot of success to my teammates and I send them all my strength for the rest of the Tour de France”, responded Geoffrey Bouchard, currently 99th overall.

Until Friday morning, all members of the tricolor formationriders and staff, were “negatives” to the tests, specified Doctor Serge Niamke, team doctor. “I am sad for Geoffrey, on whom we were counting in the next few days. The Tour is not over and we hope to find the front of the stage when we arrive in the mountains”, confided for his part, Vincent Lavenu, the general manager.