Colombian sprinter Fernando Gaviria has tested positive for Covid-19 at the Giro d'Italia and has withdrawn from the race, his UAE Emirates team announced on Tuesday.

"Gaviria went straight into isolation after the test result. He feels fine and is completely asymptomatic," reported his team.

Gaviria was tested for coronavirus along with the rest of the peloton on Monday's second rest day.

UAE Emirates were keen to stress that his was the only positive case amongst the team.

"All the other riders and staff members returned negative tests and will have other tests today."

Gaviria has tested positive before, in February's UAE Tour.

Cycling's governing body the UCI revealed another positive test from Monday's batch of 492, an AG2R La Mondiale employee.

Gaviria pulled out before Tuesday's 16th stage placed 126th out of 138 in the general classification, almost three and a half hours behind leader Joao Almeida.

Monday's two positives was down on the first round of testing, when the virus was detected in riders Steven Kruijswijk and Australian Michael Matthews along with six team personnel.

The day after the first tests two teams quit the race -- Kruijswijk's Jumbo-Visma outfit and Michelton-Scott whose leader Simon Yates stopped after developing minor symptoms.

This year's rescheduled Giro finishes in Milan on Sunday.