Giulio Ciccone’s hopes of riding the Giro d'Italia hang in the balance after his diagnosis with COVID-19. Trek-Segafredo announced the positive test on Monday and the Italian’s symptoms have prevented him from training in the days since.
"There's a strong sense of frustration and helplessness," Ciccone told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I'm struggling to find the right words to describe my disappointment. I've had a very good start to the season and the Giro was my big objective."
Ciccone claimed stage victories at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the Volta a Catalunya this season, as well as placing fifth at Tirreno-Adriatico and La Flèche Wallonne. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 a day after finishing 13th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
"On Monday, I woke up with flu symptoms, which were more than just post-Liège tiredness. As a precaution, I did a test and I didn't want to believe it," Ciccone said.
"Today the physical sensations are even worse: blocked nose, ear pain, tiredness and coughing. Riding a bike is out of the question, I can't do it. I'm just resting in bed. I can't do anything else."
Ciccone added that the situation would be evaluated "day by day" in the build-up to the Grande Partenza in his native Abruzzo on May 6. Following the retirement of Vincenzo Nibali, Ciccone was expected to carry Italian GC hopes on the Giro, where he has won three mountain stages in years past.
"Thinking about the Giro hurts me a lot, because after dreaming about the Grande Partenza at home in Abruzzo for months, now everything risks fading away," Ciccone said. "It breaks my heart."
While Ciccone is compelled to rest and hope, other Giro contenders are putting the finishing touches to their preparations in a variety of locations. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) is staying at the Syncrosfera Hotel in Denia, Spain, where the atmosphere-controlled rooms allow him to artificially replicate the effects of being at altitude.
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) is training atop Mount Teide, where Evenepoel was at work prior to his Liège-Bastogne-Liège victory, while Ineos' leading lights are building up to the Giro at home.
Tour of the Alps winner Tao Geoghegan Hart is in Andorra, Geraint Thomas is in Monaco, and Filippo Ganna is training at home in Switzerland under the guidance of coach Dario Cioni.
