Full Breakdown
Cyclists Fall Ill Ahead of Giro d'Italia After Belgian One-Day Race
5/8/2026, 12:11:37 AM
Outbreak of Gastrointestinal Illness Before the Giro
During the weekend of 5–6 May, riders who competed in the Famenne Ardenne Classic in the Belgian Ardennes reported sudden gastrointestinal symptoms. Three members of the Lotto–Intermarché squad were briefly hospitalised with abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. The illness emerged just before the start of the 2026 Giro d'Italia in Bulgaria, prompting immediate medical assessment and adjustments to team line-ups.
Background & Context
The Famenne Ardenne Classic took place on rain-slick rural roads. Team officials suggested that wet conditions may have splashed cow manure onto riders’ clothing and water bottles. Campylobacter, a bacterium commonly found in bovine feces, was identified as a possible source of infection, although no definitive laboratory confirmation has been released.
Affected Riders and Teams
Lotto–Intermarché’s 24-year-old Belgian winner Arnaud De Lie, who was slated to lead the team at the Giro, experienced nausea during the flight to Bulgaria. Only five of the squad’s eight riders attended the pre-Giro presentation. Belgian rider Liam Slock was withdrawn from the Giro roster and replaced by 22-year-old British rider Joshua Giddings, who turned professional in 2025. Belgian broadcaster Sporza reported that other squads, including Alpecin, also had riders exhibiting similar symptoms.
Data & Statistics
- Three Lotto–Intermarché riders hospitalised.
- Five of eight Lotto riders present at the presentation.
- Team director Maxime Bouet estimated that roughly half of the peloton was ill.
- Symptoms reported: abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, vomiting.
Official Statements & Responses
A Lotto–Intermarché spokesperson confirmed that De Lie’s condition did not jeopardise his Giro participation. Maxime Bouet, the team’s sporting director, said that roughly half of the riders were ill and that multiple teams had been impacted, with some entire squads in hospital. The team attributed the likely source to cow manure splashed onto riders, while acknowledging that the exact cause remains unverified.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources agree on the presence of illness but differ on its confirmed origin. While campylobacter is suspected, no health authority has officially identified the pathogen, and alternative contamination pathways have not been ruled out. Ongoing medical investigations have not yet released definitive findings.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He’s not feeling well, but his participation in the Giro is not compromised at this stage,” — Lotto–Intermarché team spokesperson
- “Half the peloton is ill.” — Maxime Bouet, sporting director, Lotto–Intermarché
- “We have heard that several teams have been affected and that some have had entire squads in hospital,” — Maxime Bouet, Lotto–Intermarché
What’s Next
Lotto–Intermarché will monitor the health of its riders throughout the opening stages of the Giro, while the replacement of Slock with Giddings finalises the team’s roster. Race organisers have not announced additional health protocols, and the Giro is set to commence on 7 May in Sofia, Bulgaria.