Alexey Lutsenko was a non-starter in the World Championships road race on Sunday after returning a positive test for COVID-19 two days before the race.
The Kazakhstan national champion was a stage winner at Mont Aigoual on the Tour de France, and he was among the expected contenders for the rainbow jersey on a demanding circuit in Imola. However he was one of three riders not to start.
“Alexey Lutsenko will not be able to present the country at the World Cup on September 27 due to a positive test for coronavirus COVID-19,” the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation said in a statement on its social media channels.
“Lutsenko's test showed a positive result on September 25. At the moment, the results of the re-testing are expected, on which the further program of the athlete will depend.”
Lutsenko’s Astana team told Cyclingnews that the rider had tested positive for COVID-19 before travelling from his home in Monaco to Imola for the World Championships.
Lutsenko has reportedly no symptoms but he must self-isolate for seven days or until he returns a negative test. He had been due to compete at Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday and was expected to ride many of the other Classics in October. Now he cannot train outdoors for at least a week.
There were two other non-starters in the elite men’s road race on Sunday, Natnael Berhane (Eritrea) and Nikias Arndt (Germany).
