Tiesj Benoot will not be at the Rwanda World Road Championships on Sunday due to illness, which is painful for the experienced Belgian. The 31-year-old classics specialist – who will ride for Decathlon CMA CGM next year – has tested positive for Covid.
Benoot has already participated seven times in the cycling world championships. Of the last six Worlds, the Visma | Lease a Bike rider was only absent in 2022. He will also be missing this coming Sunday. "I tested positive for Covid this morning. I didn’t feel great, but thought it was because of my last vaccination I had last Tuesday. That’s not the case," he told Het Nieuwsblad.
"I took three tests, all clearly positive. We decided not to travel. If I did, I would have to spend at least three days in isolation in Kigali. And the first races clearly showed that with the altitude and heat, you really have to be at one hundred percent."
Benoot is really disappointed that he won’t be able to support team leader Remco Evenepoel in his pursuit of another world title. "Of course, it’s a big disappointment. The World Championships were my main goal this autumn. In August, I was still in Livigno, together with Remco even. Last night I even slept in a high-altitude tent, thinking I would just travel."
Fit in time for the European Championships?
"It’s very unfortunate, but it’s not like this would have been my first World Championships, which makes it different. I’m sure Louis (replacement Louis Vervaeke, ed.) – given the Ghent connection – will be a worthy substitute. I hope to train well again this weekend. Then I still have thirteen days until the European Championships. I just need to be able to start there."
