Sean Yates, Contador’s directeur sportif at Tinkoff, confirmed that the embattled Spaniard had been suffering from a fever since the race entered the mountains on Friday.
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Contador started Stage 9 that would bring the peloton from Vielha val dAran to Andorra Arcalis but the course featuring an uphill finish and five categorized climbs proved to be too much.
Contador crashed in each of the opening stages and had lost time on the other overall favourites.
“I couldn’t continue. This morning I was feverish”, said Contador after Sunday’s stage.
After losing time on Saturday’s stage, he said: “My body isn’t responding as I would have liked”.
Race leader Chris Froome said the Tour de France will suffer form the absence of Alberto Contador, although admitted it would make his own life easier.
After the crash, Contador got back on his bike with a ripped jersey and scrapes on his right shoulder.
It was clear that he was suffering on what was a baking hot day in the Pyrenees with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
He dismissed any thoughts of retirement, just a day after compatriot Joaquim Rodriguez, 37, announced he would call time on his career at the end of the season.
“It’s a shame he’s no longer in the race”.
Truly, however, Contador’s Tour was over before it even started.
Contador insisted he had no regrets after persevering in this year’s Tour despite the early crashes that eventually forced him into a premature exit.
Two years ago he broke his leg in a fall on the 10th stage and although he battled on bravely for a few kilometres, he quit on that same stage.
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Contador was stripped of the 2010 Tour title and suspended for two years after testing positive for the banned steroid clenbuterol in the final week of the race.
