World Champion Julian Alaphilippe was unable to start the 3rd stage of the Tour de Wallonie on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19.
The Frenchman had won the first stage on Saturday, at the top of the Mur de Huy but lost the leader’s jersey on Sunday after the 2nd stage. Alaphilippe dropped down the general classification to 24th place, trailing 8:09 minutes behind his Australian teammate Robert Stannard.
The 30-year-old was competing in his second race since his fall in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic at the end of April. At the end of June, he took 13th place in the French national road race.
Décidément … J’ai du renoncer à prendre le départ ce matin sur le Tour de Wallonie suite à un test positif au Covid 19. Triste de laisser l’équipe, avec aussi l’abandon de Dries sur chute hier. pic.twitter.com/CERmVcMdys
— Julian Alaphilippe Officiel (@alafpolak1) July 25, 2022
The third stage of the Tour de Wallonie will connect Visé to Rochefort (195.6 km).
