Miguel Ángel López forced to miss his first Movistar training camp after coronavirus positive 

The Colombian tested positive after arriving in Europe 

(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)

Miguel Ángel López has been forced to skip his first training camp with Movistar after test positive for coronavirus. 

The Colombian Grand Tour contender flew to Europe to meet up with his new squad for the first time, but tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday (January 11). 

Movistar said López was tested after he was notified that he had come into close contact with another person, outside the team, who had contracted the virus.  

A statement from the team, released on Tuesday, said: “The Movistar Team confirms that Miguel Ángel López will not be able to join the Blues’ training camp in Almería after receiving a positive result during a Covid-19 test carried out on Monday. 

“The test López underwent took place after he was notified that he was in close contact with another person, outside the team, who tested positive earlier. 

“López had received a negative result prior to travelling to Europe.” 

The 26-year-old, a third-place finisher in both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España in 2018, has parted ways with Astana for 2021 after six seasons with the Kazakh outfit. 

He was due to ride with Movistar during their winter training camp in Almería, Andalusia, Spain. 

López very nearly finished on the podium of the 2020 Tour de France, before he lost time on the stage 20 time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles, finishing sixth in Paris.

This season he plans to return to the Tour de France in new colours, before heading to Spain to take on the Vuelta once again. 

Movistar’s other big name sign Annemiek van Vlueten, who has joined the women’s squad from Mitchelton-Scott, has been training with the men in Spain, taking on a team time trial training session.  

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Van Vleuten, who has become fame for her intensive training programmes, said previously training with the Movistar men’s team contributed to her decision to join the Spanish squad. 

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.