The Tour de France continued to see retirements due to COVID-19, with the Movistar team announcing that road captain Imanol Erviti has tested positive, Damiano Caruso is on his way home after a difficult day in the Pyrenees, and Bahrain Victorious has also tested positive for COVID-19. COVID-19 positive.

"Imanol Erviti has tested positive for COVID and will not compete @LeTour s18. Get well soon!"

the Movistar team tweeted on Thursday morning.

They added: "Our captain is fine. See you soon!"

The team added: "We'll see you soon!

Elviti is the first Movistar rider to catch COVID-19 in the 2022 Tour de France. It is only the second time in his long career as a domestique and road captain that he has failed to finish a Grand Tour. He has competed in 28 Grand Tours, but only failed to finish the 2012 Tour de France.

Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) left the Tour de France for COVID-19 on Wednesday before stage 17, after a rest day positive for AG2R Citroen's Aurelien Palais-Pantre, Mickael Scherr, and Cofidis' Max Warscheidt, They did not start on Tuesday.

14 riders were ruled out of the 2022 Tour de France due to COVID-19; 176 riders started the Tour de France in Copenhagen, but only 141 remain now.

According to an article in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Caruso was suffering from flu-like symptoms and Bahrain Victorious later confirmed that he was COVID-19 positive with mild symptoms.

"All other riders and staff tested negative," the team stated.

The Sicilian took part in an attack on stage 16 to Foix and cleared alone, but was soon separated. He finished 10th in the 2020 Tour de France and second in the 2021 Giro d'Italia, but had slipped to 22nd overall in this year's Tour de France.

This is the first time he has abandoned a Grand Tour after completing 15 three-week races.