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Simon Clarke has examined optimistic for COVID-19 in pre-Tour Down Below staff testing however hopes to recuperate in time to journey the Australian stage race which begins subsequent Tuesday.
The Israel-Premier Tech staff mentioned that Clarke was “at the moment asymptomatic” and that he would stay at residence in Victoria. He’ll skip Saturday night’s warm-up criterium and solely be a part of his Israel-Premier Tech teammates in Adelaide for the Tour Down Below “as soon as he produces a detrimental take a look at.”
Present Australian COVID-19 guidelines don’t embrace an compulsory Isolation interval and so Clarke may journey to Adelaide and compete within the Tour Down Below if he exams detrimental or has a low viral load earlier than Tuesday night’s opening prologue time trial.
The UCI has but to formally replace its full COVID-19 protocol for the 2023 season.
Cyclingnews understands that the brand new guidelines are anticipated to take away the compulsory pre-race testing for groups however protocols for managing COVID-19 instances throughout races and different recommendation is prone to stay.
Clarke was anticipated to guide Israel-Premier Tech on the Tour Down Below together with former two-time winner Daryl Impey. He completed third on the Australian nationwide championships final Sunday behind solo winner Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers) and Michael Matthews (Jayco-Aula), exhibiting some early-season type.
The 36-year-old Australian was handed a lifeline by Israel-Premier Tech in January 2022 after he was left with out a contract following the demise of the Qhubeka-NextHash staff.
He loved a profitable 2022 season, successful the stage throughout the cobblestone of Paris-Roubaix on the Tour de France. That secured him a brand new contract with Israel-Premier Tech for 2023 and 2024.
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