Tinkoff leader could reveal his race plans if medical visit rules out serious injury
Image 1 of 5
After crashing twice in the opening two days, Alberto Contador says so long to the 2016 Tour de France during stage 9.
Alberto Contador rides near his team car before abandoning the Tour de France
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Chris Froome (Team Sky)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) gets in the car after abandoning the Tour de France
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) after his crash(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador will undergo a specialist medical check-up in Madrid on Tuesday before considering his plans and objectives for the rest of the season.
Contador quit the Tour de France mid-way through the mountain stage to Andorra Arcalis. He had made one final attack earlier during the stage but his Tinkoff team said he had been suffering with a fever after struggling to fully recover from his crashes on stage 1 and 2 of the Tour.
Contador’s personal press officer Jacinto Vidarte announced that the Spaniard would under go a medical examination at the specialist CEMTRO clinic in Madrid with Dr. Manuel Leyes. The check-up is aimed to rule out “possible injuries and consequences of the trauma he suffered in his two crashes".
Contador will speak to the media after his check-up and possibly reveal his places for the Rio Olympics and the Vuelta a Espana.
His Tour exit point is relatively similar the one in 2014 – stage 9 in 2016, stage 10 in 2014 – and the Vuelta is an appetising option for later in the year. In 2014, when he crashed out of the Tour de France with a micro-fracture in his tibia, his season looked in tatters. But within a matter of weeks he was training again and he stormed back to win the Vuelta a Espana in impressive fashion.
On Instagram he put his disappointment into context by revealing how much work he had done to prepare for the Tour de France.
"After more than 23,500 km, 260,000 meters of ascent and more than 500,000 kcal burned, like this I finish my Tour 2016, painful moment, but as this door closes, others will open later. A hug and thanks to everyone for your encouragement," he wrote.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The Olympics were part of Contador's pre-Tour de France 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.
Both events are certainly feasible and Contador could line up as contender or co-leader of the Spanish team for the Games before heading the Vuelta where Rodriguez, Quintana, Kruijswijk, Chaves and possibly Froome – having done the Tour will offer up resistance.
Contador has won the Vuelta a Espana every time that he has started his home Grand Tour – 2008, 2012, and 2014.
Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
