Paris: Two-time champion Alberto Contador sensationally quit the Tour de France yesterday after succumbing to injuries and illness.
The 33-year-old Spaniard climbed off his bike with just over 100km to ride in yesterday’s ninth stage from Spain to Andorra.
Contador was injured down his right side after crashing on both of the opening two stages and his Tinkoff team said he was also suffering from illness yesterday morning.
“Alberto had a bit of fever this morning. He told us at the beginning of the race that he wasn’t feeling super and it’s obvious,” Tinkoff sports director Sean Yates told French television.
Four times during the opening 80km of yesterday’s stage, Contador was seen dropping back from the peloton to speak to his team car.
It was clear that he was suffering on what was a baking hot day in the Pyrenees with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
He was sitting 20th overall at more than three minutes off race leader Chris Froome at the start of the day.
He had lost time on several stages as he struggled with his injuries.
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