Tour de France star forced out after COVID-19 positive test

Cofidis star rider Guillaume Martin had to abandon the Tour de France before Sunday's ninth stage of the race after a positive COVID-19 test.

The 29-year-old Frenchman had been hoping to improve on last year's overall eighth-placed finish.

He sat 14th overall, three minutes and two seconds behind yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogacar, after Saturday's stage from Dole to Lausanne, but tests since then have confirmed he has the coronavirus.

Cycling's governing body, the UCI, said Martin had been withdrawn "due to the application of the COVID-19 health protocol". There have been several such cases during this year's race, prompting the UCI to urge all participants to wear masks when not racing while also encouraging social distancing.

#TDF2022 Suite à un test PCR positif au Covid, conformément au règlement et en accord avec les médecins UCI et ASO, @GuilmMartin ne prendra pas le départ de la 9e étape.https://t.co/dD0PEcukke @MathildeLAzou pic.twitter.com/p4ssaF4WzI

— Team Cofidis (@TeamCOFIDIS) July 10, 2022