Half the peloton is ill’ – manure blamed as riders fall ill ahead of Giro d’Italia, creating drama for some teams

May 7, 2026

Multiple riders fell ill after competing in the Famenne Ardenne Classic in Belgium last weekend, with symptoms blamed on campylobacter bacteria from cow manure splashed onto their drinking bottles during rainy conditions. The illness, causing stomach pains, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting, has lasted up to a week for many, hitting just before the Giro d’Italia started on May 7, 2026, in Bulgaria.

Lotto Intermarché was hit hardest, hospitalizing three riders and forcing a last-minute lineup change: Belgian Liam Slock was replaced by British neo-pro Joshua Giddings. Star rider Arnaud De Lie, the race winner, also fell sick en route to Bulgaria but was expected to race. Team director Maxime Bouet stated “half the peloton is ill,” with reports of entire squads affected, including Alpecin-Deceuninck. Cycling Weekly