Movistar deny suggesting Israel Start-Up Nation quit Vuelta a Burgos over coronavirus scare

Israel Start-Up Nation’s Rick Zabel undergoes a temperature check ahead of the opening stage of the 2020 Vuelta a Burgos
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Movistar sports director Pablo Lastras has flatly denied that his team suggested to Israel Start-Up Nation that they quit the Vuelta a Burgos after pulling two of their initial starters as a COVID-19 precaution.

The two Israel Start-Up Nation riders in question, Alex Dowsett and Itamar Einhorn, had had contact with a third teammate, Omer Goldstein, who returned a positive test for COVID-19 earlier this week. The two subsequently tested negative. 

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.