Dutch climber Wout Poels latest COVID exit from Vuelta, remainder of Bahrain Victorious team continues in bubble

Dutch climber Wout Poels is the latest rider to drop out of the Vuelta a Espana after testing positive for COVID.

Poels completed the eighth stage of the Spanish Grand Tour, but will not continue.

His team, Bahrain Victorious, released a statement on Sunday morning, saying: “Wout Poels will not start stage 9 of La Vuelta a España due to a positive COVID-19 test with mild symptoms. All other riders and staff have returned negative tests. The team will start the race today with seven riders.”

With the remainder of the team operating in a bubble, they have been given approval to continue the race.

The 34-year-old veteran has won one stage of the Vuelta previously, back in 2011, and won the Ruta Del Sol winner back in February.

Poels had a minor accident during yesterday’s stage, but returned to his bicycle and was able to catch the peloton.

Team Bahrain Victorious are just 30 seconds behind the leaders in the general classification, but lose a key part of their team in Poels. Poels had been working well in a support role, particularly for Gino Mader who sits 15th overall.

Poels himself was 28th overall in the general classification, eight minutes behind leader Remco Evenepoel. Evenepoel, who is enjoying a starring role in the Vuelta this year, lost teammate Pieter Serry to a positive COVID test earlier in the tour.

On Saturday Nikias Arndt, Mark Donovan and Anthony Delaplace also dropped out of the tour following positive tests.

Nine riders have already dropped out of this year’s race.

Monday’s rest day will serve as an opportunity for the remainder of the peloton to undergo testing.

Breakout Australian star Jay Vine won the eighth stage on Saturday, his second win in three days, cementing his status as a new star of the tour.

On the sixth stage, Vine beat a flat tyre to take his first win at a Grand Tour. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider said: It’s incredible. I’ve just got so much more confidence after that first one. I got that monkey off my back. I just enjoyed today. It was such a fun day.”