What next for Alberto Contador?

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When the dust settles after the Tour de France, the fever subsides and the wounds heal, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) will find he is at an important juncture with the Olympic Games and the Vuelta a Espana, both offering him redemption opportunities after his second Tour de France abandonment in three years.

This time the injuries are less severe, however, the full extent of the ailments, and the needed recovery time has not yet been disclosed to the public. In hindsight, his Tour was lost as soon as his front wheel slipped from under him on the first stage, with the second fall on stage 2 only compounding his health issues and knocking his confidence. He looked resigned when he sat on the tarmac in the pouring rain on the road to Cherbourg. He may have already known that his game was over.

More on this story:

• Contador abandons the Tour de France
• Contador to sign for Trek-Segafredo on Tour de France rest day
• Tour de France: Contador loses more time to GC rivals
• Tinkoff in crisis at the Tour de France?
• Contador: I've still got my morale despite my crashes

The broadest smile of Contador's entire Tour came at the start of stage 8, when Cyclingnews asked if would sign for Trek-Segafredo on the rest day. "I don't know," plus that grin, was his response, and today's departure is highly unlikely to alter where Contador puts his signature for 2017.

The Olympics were part of Contador's pre-Tour plans, the road course is one that suits him, but it is difficult to predict whether a complete Tour or a break will play into his hands should he head to Rio. So much depends on the real extent of his injures.