Rohan Dennis withdraws from Tokyo Olympics men's cycling road race as COVID-19 makes teams scramble

The men's cycling road race is underway with 48 riders who only just completed the Tour de France taking part in the Tokyo Olympics event.

There was some controversy in the lead-up to the race though.

Australia is without cyclist Rohan Dennis for the men's Olympic road race, though it's not because of a positive test for COVID-19.

Dennis chose to skip the race, which is taking place on a brutal course through searing heat that hardly suits his skillset, so that he can focus instead on next week's time trial.

Dennis, who has won stages in each of the three Grand Tours, is also one of the best in the world in the race against the clock. He's a two-time time trial world champion, helped Australia win team pursuit silver at the 2012 London Games and is a former world hour-record holder.

He was in medal contention at the Rio Games in the time trial, but he had a mechanical issue that required a bike change and took him out of the running.

Unfortunately COVID-19 did impact the men's field before the race started.

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German cyclist was ruled out of the men's road race after testing positive for the coronavirus. The German team says Geschke initially tested positive Friday and his result was confirmed by another test later in the day.

Germany says fellow riders Nikias Arndt and Maximilian Schachmann are cleared to race Saturday. The fourth rider on the team, Emanuel Buchmann, was Geschke's roommate and was waiting overnight on the result of another PCR test for the virus. Team staff tested negative.

Geschke was a stage winner on the Tour de France in 2015. The German road race team is living in a hotel and not in the Olympic Village. Geschke says he followed the hygiene rules at the Olympics. He adds that "I feel fine physically but emotionally it's a really terrible day for me."

Meanwhile, the entire Spanish cycling team was cleared just hours before the start, ending a stressful period of limbo following a positive COVID-19 test involving a team masseuse.

Alejandro Valverde, Gorka Izagirre, Ion Izagirre, Omar Fraile and Jesus Herrada were considered close contacts of the masseuse, but all returned negative test results that allowed them to make the start at Musashinonomori Park on Saturday.

Spain has one of the strongest teams in the men's road race, which will finish at Fuji International Speedway. Valverde, Fraile and Ion Izagirre in particular have skillsets that are perfectly suited for the mountainous course.