The Tour de France 2020 has had no coronavirus positive tests after the second rest day, with the race now likely to make it to Paris.
A total of 785 tests were carried out on Sunday and Monday (September 13 and 14) as the entire “race bubble” was examined for Covid-19.
The UCI and Tour organiser ASO announced on Tuesday morning that there were no positive tests.
A statement from the organisers said: “After having been tested within the six days preceding the Grand Départ in Nice as well as upon their arrival on the Tour as a part of the “race bubble”, riders and staff involved in the race were tested a third time during the first rest day over September 6 and 7.
“The screening campaign which has taken place over the past 48 hours is therefore the fourth since the beginning of the event. Its objective is to guarantee the health of the race for the riders and accredited personnel in the face of the novel coronavirus.
“Overall, each of the 785 tests carried out returned negative results.”
During the first rest day, the race bubble was tested with five people at the 2020 Tour returning positive results for coronavirus.
There were four staff members, all from different teams, who did test positive as well as one “technical service provider”.
The staff members were from Ineos Grenadiers, Mitchelton-Scott, Cofidis and AG2R La Mondiale.
Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, also tested positive for coronavirus and had to leave the race.
Prudhomme is not part of the ‘race bubble', which consists of the 650 riders and team staff, but still opted to undergoing Covid-19 test during the Tour’s first rest day.
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After quarantining for seven days, Prudhomme has now tested negative and will return to the race for stage 16.
