Alberto Contador has pulled out of the Tour de France after retiring halfway through stage nine.
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The 33-year-old Spaniard climbed off his bike with just over 100km to ride on Sunday’s ninth stage from Spain to Andorra. Contador lost time in the uphill finish at Cherbourg in stage two before being distanced by his rivals towards the end of the hilly stage in the Massif Central on day five.
He was sitting 20th overall 3:12 back on yellow jersey wearer Chris Froome. “He told us at the beginning of the race that he wasn’t feeling super and it’s obvious”, Tinkoff directeur sportif Sean Yates told French TV mid-race from the team auto.
“It’s bad news for me”, said Tinkoff team owner Oleg Tinkov, who is planning to leave the sport.
“Alberto had a bit of fever this morning”, Yates told France TV from his team vehicle.
He had started the stage in a bright fashion, though, attacking alongside fellow Spaniard Alejandro Valverde to catch a group of early breakaway riders on the first climb.
Contador was attempting to win his third Tour de France and his eighth Grand Tour overall.
Around two-thirds up the Port del Canto climb some 100km from the finish, the 33-year-old dropped the back of the peloton before pulling up alongside his Tinkoff team auto, which he entered after giving an apologetic wave to the TV cameras.
Romaine Kreuziger’s vast effort to bring back the final attacker of the day, Jasper Stuyven left Contador isolated in the final.
Contador was rumoured to be set to sign a contract with Trek-Segrafedo on the first Tour de France rest day.
“The change for me is that we won’t have to chase his attacks 100 kilometres before the finish”.
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Contador suffered his injuries in crashes during the opening two stages of the Tour before he then developed a fever.
