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Morkov arrived in Berlin on Thursday from the
UAE Tour where the last two stages were scrapped after two
Italian team members were suspected of testing positive for the
virus.
The entire peloton, including four-time Tour de France champion
Chris Froome and many of the world's top riders, were put
isolated in their hotel for tests, but UAE Tour organizers said
on Saturday that 167 tests had come back negative
Morkov had been waiting on the results of those tests before
being allowed to cease self-isolation.
He is due to ride in Sunday's madison.
Cycling's governing body the UCI issued a statement saying it
was satisfied that Morkov was not a risk.
"The person who has been in the United Arab Emirates for the
past few days and who is currently in Berlin, has been subject
to preventive quota measures, despite the absence of any
clinical sign suggesting Covid-19," it said.
"The rider present in Berlin is currently in excellent health,
with no suspicious clinical signs, and we are also guaranteed
that he has not contacted the two members of the management of a
team participating in the UAE Tour, originally suspected of
coronavirus.
"Based on these elements, the UCI and the Organising Committee
have judged that the person who has been the subject of
prophylactic measures is not at risk. He is therefore free in
his movements and activities, including within the velodrome."
Denmark's national champion Morkov has been training alone on
rollers and said he was looking forward to racing.
"I feel really good, I don't believe it will affect my race
tomorrow, only in a positive way maybe because I'm more
motivated for a good race than I was before," he said.
"I think the UCI handled it really well, they took their
precautions, they have been waiting for results from Abu Dhabi."
He admitted he had been concerned that he could have spread
coronavirus to his team, having celebrated with the team pursuit
champions on Thursday, before news broke of the lockdown in UAE.
"Yes absolutely, that was my first thought when I heard," he
said. "I went to the velodrome watching the guys break the world
record in the team pursuit, there were no coronavirus rumors.
"Then I'm coming back to the hotel and we hear this rumor. I
realized that I could be a potential carrier of the virus and
obviously I was thinking about us hugging a hundred times over
there. I was feeling really guilty that I might have brought
this virus to other people and team mates.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Alexander Smith)
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