Cyclist Tom Pidcock withdraws from Tour de France due to COVID-19, ahead of upcoming Olympics by 14 days

Tom Pidcock withdraws from this year's Tour de France due to a positive COVID-1ran test, just shy of two weeks before his quest for Olympic mountain biking glory on July 29th.

The young British cyclist missed out on clinching another stage victory in the race by finishing as runner-up in Stage Nine last week. As he cannot participate in Saturday's Stage 14, Pidcock must now focus on recovery ahead of his participation in Paris with Team GB vying for top honors.

Ineos Grenadiers have released a statement explaining the situation: "Tom Pidcock will not be competing at today's stage of the Tour de France. Following medical advice, he is returning home to recuperate."

The presence of COVID-19 has sparked unease among cyclists within the competition, with several riders encountering difficulties in recent days. Spanish teammate Juan Ayuso announced his exit from the race during Friday's Stage, attributing it to contracting the virus, following the lead rider Tadej Pogacar.

Prior to that, fellow competitor Mark Cavendish mentioned a teammate who had been compelled to withdraw due to illness and hinted at others within the race dealing with similar conditions.