Lotto-Soudal's Tomasz Marczynski out of Giro d'Italia with long Covid
The Polish rider has been struggling with post-Covid neurological symptoms

Tomasz Marczynski has abandoned the 2021 Giro d'Italia after suffering from long Covid symptoms.
The Lotto-Soudal rider didn't take the start of stage nine, a gruelling mountain day culminating in a gravel climb to the finish, having been experiencing post-Covid neurological symptoms.
The 37-year-old has had headaches, insomnia, dizziness as well as coordination issues, meaning the team doctor recommended he abandon the Italian Grand Tour.
"No Tomasz Marczynski at the start of stage nine of the Giro d'Italia," Lotto-Soudal announced this morning. "Tomasz is struggling with post covid neurological symptoms: headache, insomnia, dizziness and coordination problems. Team doctor Maarten Meirhaeghe decided to pull him out for safety reasons and further examinations."
Some cyclists suffering from long Covid have noticed that the power and efforts they used to be able to put out are no longer possible, and currently, doctors are finding out more about these effects at the same time riders are experiencing them.
>>> 'There's an element of the unknown with Bernal and Evenepoel,' says Bradley Wiggins
Marczynski was forced to leave the Tour of Luxembourg last year after experiencing coronavirus symptoms before returning to racing and completing the 2020 Vuelta a España.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
At the Giro he was sitting in 171st out of 176 places in the overall classification and now leaves Lotto-Soudal with 6 riders left in the race after Caleb Ewan abandoned during stage eight.
The Australian had won two stages in the first week of racing, making it a successful campaign for the Belgian squad regardless of the final two weeks.
"I'm sad to quit and leave my team-mates, but at the same time, I'm really grateful to my team for supporting me at this moment. Hope to be back in few weeks," Marczynski said.
This was the Polish rider's ninth Grand Tour, having made his three-week stage race debut in 2012 at the Giro. His best performance was 13th overall at the 2013 Vuelta,, having also won two stages of the Spanish Grand Tour in 2017.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
Live coverage returns: Watch Unbound Gravel's elite races free on YouTube
On May 31, the elite men’s and women’s 200-mile Unbound Gravel races will be broadcast live, in full, to a global audience
-
'I’ve already won the 200, so what else could I do?' — Lachlan Morton takes on 350-mile XL at Unbound Gravel
“I already had the experience I wanted to have there...so, why not just try something different?” says the Australian.
-
'I never thought I would do this' - Daan Hoole beats Josh Tarling to time trial victory on Giro d’Italia stage 10 as Isaac del Toro retains race lead
Hoole wins the day with a time of 32:30 in Pisa, Tarling finishes seven seconds down
-
Giro d’Italia stage 10: key rider time trial start times
Race leader Isaac del Toro set to roll down the start ramp at 16:40 local time, Josh Tarling off at 14:36
-
Giro d'Italia stage 10 time trial: Live streams, timings, where to watch
It's an important day at the 2025 Giro d'Italia – here are the broadcast details and start times for the stage 10 time trial from Lucca to Pisa today.
-
The rapid rise of Isaac del Toro - Could a 21-year-old from Mexico challenge at the Giro d'Italia?
In the Baja California native, UAE Emirates-XRG appear to have found yet another potential Grand Tour contender
-
Wout van Aert wins sensational Giro d'Italia stage nine over the gravel as Isaac Del Toro moves into pink
Exhilarating stage saw Primož Roglič and Tom Pidcock lose time after a crash on the strade bianche
-
‘An indescribable emotion’ - Italian veteran Diego Ulissi seals dream to wear pink on home roads during Giro d'Italia gravel stage
The XDS-Astana rider took over the pink jersey from Primož Roglič on stage 8
-
Luke Plapp solos to win action-packed Giro d'Italia stage 8 as Ulissi steals pink from Roglič
Australian plays his tactics perfectly on an attacking day through the Apennines
-
'When everyone starts to panic, you just need to breathe deeply': Fearless approach key to success on Giro d’Italia gravel stage
Pello Bilbao expects Strade Bianche-style stage on Sunday to be both a physical and mental challenge