Tour de France champion Egan Bernal's Team Ineos withdraws from all races over next three weeks amid coronavirus outbreak

Brussels: The team of Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has withdrawn from all races over the next three weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak and following the death of one of its sports directors. [caption id=“attachment_7063881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Egan Bernal in action at the Tour de France. Reuters[/caption] Team Ineos said in a statement late Wednesday it has notified cycling’s governing body UCI of its decision to “withdraw temporarily from all racing" until the Volta a Catalunya on 23 March. Ineos, the team of former Tour winners Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, said it took the decision in the wake Nicolas Portal’s death earlier this week, and because of the “very uncertain situation with Coronavirus more widely." Portal, a former rider who turned into a team official and helped guide four-time Tour champion Froome and Bernal to victory at the race, died suddenly at his home in Andorra on Tuesday. Ineos riders had been scheduled to compete at six races before 23 March, including the prestigious Strade Bianche, the week-long Paris-Nice and the famed one-day classic Milan-San Remo. Bernal was set to defend his Paris-Nice title from 8 March. “We are taking this decision to put a temporary pause on racing today because of this unique set of circumstances we are facing," Ineos manager Dave Brailsford said. “It is right for the team given what has happened but I also believe it is in the best interests of both cycling and the wider public." The impact of the virus’ outbreak on cycling has been escalating this week as Australian outfit Mitchelton-Scott also decided to withdraw from racing until 22 March. Meanwhile, Dutch team Jumbo-Visma announced it would skip Saturday’s Strade Bianche. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health in the United Arab Emirates announced that six more people with links to the UAE Tour cycling race that was cut short last week have been infected with the virus that started in China and has spread to 70 countries. They were all linked to two previous cases involving Italians, it said. The last two stages of the UAE Tour were cancelled on 28 February after two virus cases among team staff members Ineos said it has a duty to preserve the health of its staff and riders “in what is a very fast-moving and challenging situation. We have taken the best medical advice and recognize that these are exceptional times for everyone — beyond just cycling." The UCI has so far stopped short of cancelling this month’s planned events, leaving authorities in the concerned countries with the decision. “The organizers and all members of the cycling family will be obliged to comply to any such decision," the UCI said this week.