BERLIN, July 14 (Bernama-dpa) -- Tour de France organisers have made face masks mandatory in certain areas after a series of coronavirus cases at the famous cycling race.
A Tour spokesman told German news agency (dpa) that organisers are introducing the measure for the remainder of the event, which runs until July 21.
Masks are mandatory in areas with contact to the riders, such as after the finish line, the team bus parking areas and mixed zones where the media can talk to the riders.
Several riders have quit after contracting the coronavirus, including Olympic mountain bike champion Thomas Pidcock of Britain, and Spanish Vuelta champion Sepp Kuss of the United States withdrew shortly before the June 29 start after being infected.
In addition, there could be many more cases because not all teams are testing their riders.
"I know that there are riders in the Tour with corona," record stage winner Mark Cavendish told German broadcasters ARD.
German athlete Pascal Ackermann said: "It is in the peleton and either you get it or you don't."
Overall leader Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia caught COVID-19 shortly before the start while rivals Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, the title holder, have been wearing masks in crowded areas since the first day.
Evenepoel had to quit last year's Giro d'Italia in leading position over a coronavirus infection.
-- BERNAMA-dpa
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