Gaviria hails UAE health authorities after recovering from COVID-19

The UAE Team Emirates’ fastman Fernando Gaviria has thanked the UAE health authorities after receiving the ‘best care and attention in the world’ on his road to recovery after being diagnosed with Corona virus last month.

Gaviria said, “I would like to thank the UAE government, our team president, Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri and the whole of the UAE Team Emirates team for their support. It has been a difficult period but I am lucky to have had the best care and attention in the world.”

Gaviria has now returned to his home country, Colombia after arriving with 55 other returnees on an airplane filled with 13 tons of medical material donated by the UAE.

Gaviria, who joined UAE Team Emirates ahead of the 2019 season, is one of the most accomplished sprinters on the UCI World Tour. He won the Giro d’Italia points classification title in 2017 and has won seven individual Grand Tour stages (two at Tour de France, five at Giro).

Gaviria began the 2020 season in encouraging style, winning three stages at the Vuelta a San Juan before the season was halted by the pandemic.

Riding for the Colombian national cycling team, Gaviria came to international attention at the 2015 Tour de San Luis, where he beat former world champion Mark Cavendish in two sprint finishes.

Before his road career, Gaviria won the omnium and madison events at the 2012 UCI Juniors Track World Championships. In 2014, he won the under-23 Pan-American road race.

“I am very happy to be able to return home and embrace my loved ones, while still being aware that this pandemic is still among us and that we cannot let our guard down,” said the Colombian.

“My hope is to return to normality and get back racing as soon as possible. Until then, please follow the government instructions to try to limit the spread of the virus,” he added.

The UAE Team Emirates rider contracted COVID-19 while racing the UAE Tour, which was halted prematurely on Feb.27 after reports of symptoms from people involved in the race.

The UAE team decided to self-quarantine as a precautionary measure and Gaviria confirmed he had tested positive for the coronavirus on March 12.

Gaviria remained in the UAE for the best part of a month, undergoing regular tests in hospital to ensure he was free from the virus.

He received the all-clear on March 26 and was discharged, although he had to wait until Wednesday last week to be able to fly home, the Cyclingnews reported.

He landed in Bogota on a specially chartered plane along with 56 other Colombians and a cargo of medical supplies.

In accordance with the protocols currently in place in the country, he was immediately placed into quarantine in the capital, and will have to wait before he can return to his home in La Ceja.

Meanwhile, former Olympic champion Jan Frodeno on Saturday completed a gruelling charity triathlon without leaving his own home.

Frodeno, who was 2008 Olympic gold medallist in triathlon at Beijing, completed the course in eight hours 33min and 39sec.

His race at his home in Girona was made up of 3.8km in his counter-current swimming pool, 180km cycling on his roller trainer, and running a 42.2km marathon on a treadmill.

“That was certainly different and great fun,” said the German athlete.

“I’m really pleased we were able to make this happen, and to raise money for such good and important causes.

“We’ve been subject to lockdown for almost four weeks now and there is strict monitoring of compliance with these rules, and rightly so.

“The situation here is really dire. That’s why I’ve been training at home. However, when I see what the people here in the hospitals are doing for us, this small sacrifice is one I wholeheartedly make.”

Frodeno said part of the 200,000 euros ($218,710) raised will go to the Laureus Sport for Good project in the Spanish city of Girona where he lives.

The rest will be given to local healthcare institutions involved in fighting the coronavirus.