Wet Belgian Roads Linked to Cyclist Illness Ahead of Giro d’Italia

Just days before the start of the 2026 Giro d’Italia, a wave of mysterious illnesses has disrupted preparations for the world’s most prestigious cycling race, with cow dung on recent Belgian roads identified as the likely culprit. At least one rider, Arnaud De Lie of Lotto Intermarché, has already been forced to miss the team’s pre-Giro presentation, and reports suggest that dozens of riders from multiple teams are suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, and fever—some so severe that entire squads have been hospitalized.

The outbreak traces back to the Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic, a key race held last weekend in rural Belgium. Riders who competed in the event, including De Lie, who won the race, have since fallen ill. According to reports, the contaminated roads—covered in cow dung—are believed to have exposed cyclists to harmful bacteria, leading to a rapid spread of illness. Lotto Intermarché’s sports director, Maxime Bouet, confirmed that three of the team’s riders, including De Lie, were affected, with the Belgian sprinter absent from the team’s official presentation in Bulgaria just days before the Giro’s start in Sofia on May 9.

De Lie’s absence is a significant blow, as he was widely regarded as one of the favorites for the sprint finishes that will punctuate the three-week race. His team arrived at the presentation with only five riders, a sharp reduction from the usual squad size. Bouet described the situation as “unexpected,” though he downplayed concerns, stating that De Lie was “here, but not here”—a reference to the rider’s ongoing recovery and the team’s hopes for his return in time for the race.

The scale of the illness outbreak has raised alarm across the peloton. Reports indicate that some teams have had to send entire squads to hospital for treatment, with symptoms including severe gastrointestinal distress and high fevers. The Giro d’Italia organizers have not yet issued an official statement on the matter, but the situation has cast a shadow over the race’s opening stages, with riders and teams scrambling to manage the fallout from what is being described as an unprecedented health crisis.

For Lotto Intermarché, the challenge is compounded by the need to field a competitive team in the absence of key riders. The team’s sprint contingent, already weakened by illness, will now have to rely on backup options to challenge for stage wins and the coveted maglia rosa. Meanwhile, other teams are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, with some riders reportedly pulling out of training or even withdrawing from the race altogether due to lingering health concerns.

The Giro d’Italia, known for its grueling stages and high stakes, is now facing an unexpected obstacle. As riders prepare to tackle the grueling climbs of the Dolomites and the Alps, the question remains: will the health crisis derail ambitions, or will the peloton’s resilience see them through to the finish in Rome?

What is clear is that the 2026 Giro d’Italia will not begin under normal circumstances. The race, already a test of endurance and strategy, now carries an added layer of uncertainty as teams and riders grapple with the aftermath of an illness outbreak that has its roots in the very roads on which they race.