E3 Saxo Bank Classic 2021 - Covid-19 positive test rules Bora-Hansgrohe out of Friday's race

The Bora-Hansgrohe team will not race the Belgian E3 Saxo Bank Classic race, it was confirmed on Friday. British cyclist and BORA-Hansgrohe team member Matt Walls has tested positive for the coronavirus and so the team has been withdrawn. Kern Pharma have also withdrawn after positive Covid-19 test results.

The Bora-Hansgrohe cycling team was excluded from the Belgian E3 Saxo Bank Classic on Friday after one of its riders returned a positive Covid-19 test.

In a statement the German team said that British rider Matthew Walls had tested positive.

"After Walls' positive test result was received and confirmed by a second test, several PCR tests were carried out on all other team members yesterday, all of which were negative," the statement said.

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"Despite this, according to the instructions of the Belgian Cycling Federation, the team is not allowed to take part in today's race."

The race is part of the build-up towards the Tour of Flanders which takes place on April 4.

In a separate race, Spanish team Kern Pharma said on Friday that they were leaving the Tour of Catalunya following two positive cases within their squad.

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