Tom Pidcock out of Tour with Covid just 16 days before Olympic title defence

Tom Pidcock is out of the Tour de France after testing positive for Covid-19.

The 24-year-old Yorkshireman narrowly missed out on a second career stage win in the Tour when he finished second on stage nine last week, but will not start Saturday’s stage 14.

Pidcock will return home to recover, with only a little over two weeks to go until he aims to defend his Olympic mountain bike title in Paris on July 29.

A statement from the Ineos Grenadiers said: “A disappointed Tom Pidcock will not line up for stage 14 of the Tour de France today.

“Tom is experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 and under advice from our medical team will now return home to recover.”

There have been increasing concerns over Covid within the peloton at the Tour, with several riders struggling in recent days.

Juan Ayuso, a team-mate of race leader Tadej Pogacar pulled out of the race midway through Friday’s stage and said he had Covid.

Earlier in the week, Sir Mark Cavendish saw his team-mate Michael Morkov forced out of the race and said he knew of other riders in the peloton who were racing with the illness.

It's just a bit of a headache and a runny nose so we'll just see how it goes

Speaking before the start, Pidcock’s team-mate Geraint Thomas said he was “not great” and had tested positive himself, although he will continue to race for now.

“For a start it’s a big, big shame to lose Tom but he felt bad this morning and it’s between him and the doc and that’s what they decided to do,” Thomas said.

“For me I’m also not great, I’ve tested positive but I’ve just got mild symptoms and the docs are monitoring me closely and they’ve got their protocols when it comes to respiratory conditions.

“At the minute it’s just a bit of a headache and a runny nose so we’ll just see how it goes.”