Canadian Hugo Houle declared himself COVID-19-free and decided on Astana’s team for the next Tour de France after positive control of the virus after the Tour de Poland was cancelled through two following PCR controls and antigenic control that proved negative.
It is a relief for the 29-year-old driver who was forced to leave Il Lombardia and a primary replacement in his racing calendar, which originally targeted Tirreno-Adriatico and the Giro d’Italia. So far, Houle is the only Canadian to be named to the Tour de France.
“This is a vital race for me and the team,” Houle told Cyclingnews. “Miguel Angel López can end up on the podium of the Great Laps and I’m sure it will be a wonderful purpose for us to turn it into a smart position. “I’m climbing great now, so I’ll look for some smart getaways if the opportunities arise. Of course, I will stick to the team’s command and make sure to make the task more productive for the team and achieve them happy. “
After passing two COVID-19 PCR checks before running the Tour of Poland, Houle learned that a check that had passed 3 days before Il Lombardia came back positive and suddenly stopped everything.
“I don’t know what happened there. But I know that [before] positive control, I’m going to Lombardy, so I follow the ICU protocol. Three days before Lombardy, my check came back here positive. From then on, I had to isolate myself and my teammate had to pass controls to prove that the boys who were with me in Poland were ready for the race,” Houle said.
“All team members returned negative PCR controls. That’s good news for us. I stayed home and calm because there was nothing else to do. We waited six days and went to do a new PCR check in the same lab and got here. negative back. From there, I started doing other checks. I did another PCR check on Friday, which was also negative here. “
The ICU showed Cyclingnews on Monday that as soon as the Tour de France begins, it’s been two weeks since the test, and its pre-race tests to be conducted this week “should reassure everyone. “
Houle said he may not say the positive result is a false result, but said he had followed negative PCR tests with a serological test that looks for antibodies opposed to the virus, which may imply that he had recovered from an infection. also negative.
According to ICU protocols, runners are advised to test positive that they deserve to be monitored for more damage to the central muscle, as even a mild COVID-19 infection can affect the center.
Houle stated that he had undergone a voltage control, an electrocardiogram and a control of VO2 max. And that everything had returned to normal. ” They also did a scan of my center, which is also fine. We did everything we could,” he added.
“At the end of the day, I’m in good physical shape and there’s no result of the positive test. I can’t tell if it’s a false positive, a challenge in the lab, but I know I’ve followed the procedure and I’ve done everything I can lose to run and continue. “
The positive checkup was shocking, he said, but he never developed any symptoms and never had a fever. “It’s had a big effect on life: when you have a positive check, you have to prevent everything, replace your plans. “. I stopped education because I couldn’t run for at least two weeks. So I chose with the doctors on the team. Rest absolutely for 4 days, after which I made a housemaster for two days.
“When I had the negative results, I was able to get back on the road and keep training. I don’t think it had that much impact. I’m a little more rested. I think it’s the right thing to do. “
COVID-19 testing will continue during the Tour de France and Houle’s case highlights the option of false results.
“Now that I’ve returned a positive check, I’m aware of the consequences. I don’t care if I have a check now, I just hope the effects are negative,” Houle said. “In the case of the Tour de France, you make a lot of sacrifices and you exercise a lot and you get into the race and you get a positive check, it’s a big disappointment.
“But in the end, the evidence is there, and we have to. The ICU has fulfilled its task – each and every country recommends these tests is the most productive we have. We’ll have to respect that and keep our protocol in place. “
The Tour de France will work with a policy that if two runners from the same team test positive for the virus, the team will be asked to withdraw from the race, which is a big concern, especially other possible false positives in Omer’s recent weeks. Goldstein (Israel Start-Up Nation), Silvan Dillier (AG2R La Mondiale) and Inge Van der Heijden, U23 women’s cyclocross world champion.
“Of course, there would possibly be other people with positive tests without symptoms. I think it might have been an exception or a mistake would have occurred somewhere, I don’t know, but we still have to accept it as true with one tests and protocols in place,” the Canadian said.
“I think there may be a small possibility of false evidence; this is not new. They say 30% of PCR tests can happen with a false negative or a false positive. But I think what’s vital is that we’re all very careful and I do all the paperwork and I hope everything’s okay. There’s not much we can do. I don’t need to be under pressure for that. I’m healthy and able to run, and I hope to go back to negative PCR from now on. “
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