Cycling-Pogacar's team down to six after Bennett out of Tour with COVID-19

Durbridge has very mild symptoms & will not start today’s stage 10," the Australian outfit said in a statement. Bennett is the fifth rider to leave the race with a positive COVID-19 test since the start on July 1.

New Zealand's George Bennett became the second teammate of defending champion Tadej Pogacar to leave the race after a positive COVID-19 test, his UAE Emirates team said on Tuesday. "On Monday he was tested as per internal protocols of the team and returned a positive result. This was confirmed with a PCR test," UAE said in a statement.

"Therefore he will not start today," team doctor Adrian Rotunno said. Last Saturday, Vegard Stake Laengen also pulled out with COVID-19, which means that Pogacar's team is now down to six riders going into a grueling week in the Alps.

Pogacar leads the overall standings, 39 seconds ahead of Dane Jonas Vingegaard. Tuesday's 10th stage is a 148-km mountain trek to Megeve.

Earlier on Tuesday, Australian Luke Durbridge was also pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19, his Bike Exchange-Jayco team said. "Unfortunately Luke Durbridge has tested positive for COVID-19 this morning. Durbridge has very mild symptoms & will not start today's stage 10," the Australian outfit said in a statement.

Bennett is the fifth rider to leave the race with a positive COVID-19 test since the start on July 1. All riders had been tested on Sunday night and all tests had returned negative.

Last year, if two members of a team tested positive for COVID the whole outfit would be sent packing, which is not the case in this edition. Whether a rider who tests positive can stay in the race is decided following a meeting between the race, International Cycling Union (UCI), and team doctors, depending on the rider's viral load.