Robert Gesink misses Team Jumbo-Visma training camp with positive Covid-19 test

Robert Gesink will miss Team Jumbo-Visma's first training camp in Spain after testing positive for Covid-19.

The Netherlands-based outfit are currently in Girona preparing for the 2022 season. However, they are currently without cyclocross competitor Wout van Aert, with Gesink now joining the Belgian in being absent from the training camp, albeit for different reason.

Gesink shared a photo of a positive Covid-19 test on his Instagram story this week, stating: "I'd better take a week off." 

The Dutch rider, who is currently in Andorra with his family, revealed on social media that his son had tested positive a day earlier. Consequently, he would have had to have missed the Jumbo-Visma training camp anyway, as per protocol, regardless of his test result. 

He said on Instagram: "Unfortunately I will not be traveling to Spain to join my teammates for training camp because my son tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. 

"Don’t worry, we are all in good health and Bram [his son] is only showing mild symptoms. 

"Obviously we are following Andorran and team protocol to prevent spread of the virus."

Despite contracting the virus, Gesink and his family seem in decent spirits and in good health, with the 35-year-old rider seemingly enjoying himself in the Andorran mountains, as depicted through his social media.

The 35-year-old will start his sixteenth season as a professional at the Netherlands-based squad in 2022. He first joined the team in 2007, known as Rabobank, and has stayed ever since throughout the various name changes - Blanco, Belkin, LottoNL–Jumbo and now Team Jumbo-Visma.

During his time with the team, Gesink won an individual stage at the 2016 Vuelta a España, with his best Grand Tour general classification result a fourth-place at the 2010 Tour de France.

Despite missing this training camp though, Gesink maintains motivation to perform for the WorldTour team with whom he still has a contract with until the end of 2023.