'Half the Peloton Is Ill': Cowpats Blamed as Cyclists Fall Sick
Three Lotto-Intermarche riders were briefly hospitalized, and teams suspect cow manure on wet roads spread the illness.
- Mass illness has thrown Giro preparations into chaos ahead of Saturday NZT's start in Bulgaria, with much of the field reporting severe symptoms following a one-day race in Belgium.
- Officials suspect cow manure on the roads during the Famenne Ardenne Classic caused the outbreak; the bacteria Campylobacter is suspected as the source, though there is no official cause confirmed.
- Three Lotto-Intermarche riders were hospitalized with abdominal pain and fever, though team leader Arnaud remains expected to start the Giro despite feeling nauseous during the flight to Bulgaria.
- Lotto sport director Maxime Bouet claimed that "half the peloton is ill," with only five of Lotto's eight riders attending the recent race presentation and teams like Alpecin also reporting sickness.
- The Giro begins in Bulgaria on Saturday NZT with teams hoping for rapid recovery, though the mass illness has thrown preparations into chaos for most competitors heading to the start.
13 Articles
13 Articles
On Sunday, the Famenne Ardenne Classic made many runners ill. A bacterium called Campylobacter would be at the origin of this epidemic.
“Hey shit!” is what people within the Lotto-Intermarché team must be thinking. The final race before the Giro d’Italia marked a first victory of the season for team leader Arnaud De Lie. However, there are also nasty consequences for the team following the win in the Famenne Ardenne Classic. The reason: cow dung.
The preview of the Giro de Italia 2026 has had an unexpected setback. The presentation of the teams has been much less massive than expected, and the reason behind the absence of some cyclists seems to respond to an intoxication produced after the dispute of the Fammene Ardenne Classic.
Several riders of the Lotto-Intermarché team have been victims of poisoning after the Ardenne Classic family, threatening their participation in the Giro scheduled this Friday. Bacteria present in bouses de...
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