Cofidis sports director threatens to go on hunger strike if UAE Tour quarantine continues

His team have been on lockdown in their hotel since Thursday evening

Roberto Damiani (Tim De Waele/Getty)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A sports director for Cofidis, who is currently on lockdown with the team in their hotel at the UAE Tour, has threatened to go on hunger strike if the coronavirus quarantine doesn't end soon.

Roberto Damiani, who has been stuck on the fourth floor of the hotel since Thursday night, has written an impassioned open letter on Italian website Tutto Bici explaining his team's plight.

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Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. 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.