ARLES: Olympic road race champion Richard Carapaz(pix) did not start the stage two of the Tour of Provence after testing positive for Covid-19, his team Ineos said Saturday.
Another Ineos rider, Filippo Ganna, retained the overall lead at the end of the stage.
Cofidis rider Bryan Coquard led a French 1-2, winning a sprint head of world champion Julian Alaphilippe of Quick-Step.
Ecuadorean Carapaz had been lying 19th, 51 seconds adrift of Italian Ganna ahead of the 180.5km run between Arles and Manosque.
Carapaz, the 2019 Giro d’Italia victor, “did not show any symptoms” said Ineos.
The 28-year-old -- nicknamed “The Locomotive” -- had been one of the favourites for overall victory.
Ganna leads Alaphilippe by two seconds heading into Sunday's third and final stage on the Mountain of Lure.