The AG2R Citroën team has announced that Aurélien Pare-Pantlet and Mickaël Scherer tested positive for COVID-19 on the last rest day of the Tour de France and further tests have determined that they are unable to continue the race due to viral levels.

"The weekly antigen and PCR tests conducted by ASO in Carcassonne on Sunday, July 17 and confirmed this morning, Tuesday, July 19, showed that the virus levels of the two riders did not allow them to continue in the Tour de France," the AG2R Citroën team announced in Carcassonne, 16 The announcement was made one hour before the start of the 16th stage in Carcassonne.

"Based on the overall decision of the UCI doctor, the Tour de France doctor, and the AG2R Citroën team doctor, Aurélien Paré-Pantre and Mickaël Scherer will not start stage 16 in Carcassonne this morning.

Scherer and Pare-Pantol will be the ninth and tenth riders to withdraw from the 2022 Tour de France due to COVID-19. After the start of this stage, the Cofidis team announced that Max Warscheid had withdrawn from the race after testing positive for an in-house test.

Leonard Kemna also did not start stage 16, but his Bora-Hansgrohe team announced that he was suffering from a persistent cold and his daily COVID-19 test was negative.

Prior to this year's Tour, the UCI COVID-19 protocol was changed so that riders who test positive for COVID-19 are no longer automatically withdrawn from the race. Bob Jungels (AG2R Citroën) was allowed to race despite testing positive the week before the Grande Pearl, as doctors determined that he was no longer contagious. He went on to win the ninth stage to Chatel. However, the French team struggled in the Tour de France, losing leader Ben O'Connor on the first rest day last Monday due to worsening muscle pain in his hip.

"In the morning we found out that the riders were COVID-19 positive. Despite being asymptomatic, they were infected," AG2R Citroën team manager Vincent Lavene explained to Cycling News at the start in Carcassonne.

"Bob had a similar situation a little before the Tour, but it was determined not to be contagious. Aurelian and Mikael's viral levels were only one or two degrees higher and they were not allowed to start. This is the reality of the Tour de France, even if it is not the reality of everyday life today. But their test results were positive, and in order to protect the health of the peloton, we were asked to make a wise and rational decision, in agreement with the ASO and the medical team"

.

"The wise and reasonable thing here was not to send contagious athletes to the peloton. This decision was made in agreement with the ASO medical team because they feel perfectly healthy, not sick.

AG2R Citroën now has three riders for the Tour: Benoit Kosnefrois, Stan DeWolf, and Bob Jungels.

"It's most frustrating for the team and the riders. It was an unfortunate tool," Lavenu said.

"We set out here with great ambition and we had every right to think that Ben O'Connor's physical condition would allow him to finish in the top five, but he crashed. Bouchard moved to COVID. Oliver Naessen was also not with COVID, but he was not feeling well and left the race. We lost two more riders. This is the first time we have had three riders in the Tour."

"It's sad for us, for the team, and for our sponsors to be down to three riders. Aurelien Pareit-Pantol could still have had a shot at a top-15 or top-20 finish had he stayed in the race. It's frustrating."