"All tests were negative". The message from the UCI after the rest day of COVID-19 testing at the Tour de France came as a surprise to everyone. Some would have found it hard to believe.

The Belgian sports medicine professional association questioned the legitimacy of the tests and effectively accused the race organizer, ASO, of a cover-up.

The SKA (Society of Sports Medical Examiners) claimed to have heard from athletes and teams that the swabs were not properly inserted into the nose, suggesting that the lack of positive results should be taken with a "bag of salt" rather than a pinch of salt.

When contacted by Cycling News, ASO declined to comment on the matter.

Under new UCI regulations, Grand Tour organizers must conduct rapid antigen testing on all riders on rest days. This is an "official" test; other tests are done internally at the discretion of each team, even if there is a "strong recommendation" from the UCI to test more frequently.

A recent outbreak of mass infection at the Tour de Suisse forced several riders to retire from pre-race testing, and four more riders and many team staff tested positive during the first week of racing. It was therefore widely expected that a thorough ASO-led examination on Monday, July 11, would find even more cases, but the results were nil.

A day later, two riders left the race after internal tests came back positive, and Warren Barguil became the sixth rider to abandon the Tour due to COVID on Friday morning.

"The SKA cannot ignore the repercussions. The corona tests conducted by the Tour organizers do not work as they should in too many cases.

"SKA has heard from various teams, team doctors, and athletes that the corona tests performed by the ASO do not follow strict protocol and that the swabs are often not inserted deep enough into the nose; when the ASO reports no positive cases, the message should be taken with a bag of salt It should be."

The SKA suggested that some athletes and team doctors "have little faith in the ASO's approach," arguing that internal testing complements official testing, not the other way around.

"If the organizers of the world's biggest cycling race are going to conduct COVID testing, that worthless method must be stopped. [ASO testing should be a support for team doctors and a check on teams that are not so rigorous in their testing; ASO testing should be a support for team doctors and a check on teams that are not so rigorous in their testing; ASO testing should be a support for team doctors and a check on teams that are not so rigorous in their testing; ASO testing should be a support for team doctors and a check on teams that are not so rigorous in their testing. This is a world upside down."

The ASO did not comment on the allegations. The next inspection will take place on the final rest day, Monday, July 18, but the inspection itself could take place on the Sunday evening after the 15th stage.

If the antigen test is positive, the athlete must undergo PCR testing to confirm the result. Bob Jungels and Rafal Mayka have already been determined to be non-infectious and may be able to continue racing even if they test positive.