Leonardo Basso tested positive for coronavirus, forcing Team Ineos to withdraw from last month's Italian Championships, but he told Tuttobiciweb (opens in new tab) that two more PCR tests came back negative and further serological analysis showed that he did not have COVID-19 and that serological analysis revealed that he had never been affected by COVID-19.

Basso's case is similar to that of his compatriot Oscar Gatt (Beulah Hansgrohe), who was later found to have had a false positive PCR test before last week's Brittany Classic.

Basso and Ineos' teammates Filippo Ganna, Salvatore Puccio, and Gianni Moscon did not participate in the Italian Championship road race.

"On Saturday afternoon, before we got to the hotel, we were informed and protocol was invoked, so the whole team was removed from the Italian Championships and everyone will be at home resting," Basso told Tuttobiciweb. "On Monday, August 24, I was tested a second time and the results were negative. My family, girlfriend, and teammates all tested negative as well."

"To confirm that the first test was a false positive, I took a third swab test on Friday the 28th. The first positive test was false.

Basso spent 11 days in isolation at home after learning of the first positive test, but in the last two days he began training on the road again. He is scheduled to return to racing at the Giro di Toscana on September 16.

Filippo Ganna and Salvatore Puccio are on the provisional start list for the Tirreno Adriatico, which starts Monday.

"I don't know if there is a more efficient test than the one we are doing, but it might be a good idea to do a double test, an A sample and a B sample, like they do with anti-doping tests.

"I'm not qualified to say that, and I know we have to deal with some really complicated situations. We have to improve the speed of the second test to avoid cases like mine."

All Tour de France riders and staff will have their next PCR test on Monday's rest day, and teams that record more than two positive tests will be excluded from the race.

After concerns were raised by teams following several reports of false positives in pro cycling, the ASO confirmed that a rapid secondary test would be conducted to confirm positive cases.