Alberto Contador may not be fit in time for Vuelta a Espana
Recovery time for Alberto Contador's leg fracture is uncertain, and he may not be back in the saddle for the Vuelta a Espana
Alberto Contador wants to return to racing after crashing out of the Tour de France on Monday, but the Vuelta a España on August 23 may come too soon.
"We have to be patient," Tinkoff-Saxo team manger, Bjarne Riis told Cycling Weekly.
"We don't know about the Vuelta a España yet, we hope so, but it's not sure. It's going to be difficult, but it depends on how fast he heals. It depends on how soon he starts training on his bike."
On Tuesday, Contador had his fractured right tibia checked at a clinic near home in Madrid. Doctors recommended against surgery
“The doctor told me that surgery would increase the trauma the knee has suffered and will delay recovery even more," Contador said. "The good news is that I have no tendon or ligament injured and the fissure is in the best possible place."
"The fracture is a good fracture," Riis added. "It's in the middle the tibia top and that's not where the pressure is, so that's already good because if it was on the side it'd be more complicated. That's also why they don't want to operate on him. An operation is always bad."
Contador's next race is one of recovery. He will want to get back training on his bike soon in order to keep his fitness level high. The Vuelta a España, which he won in 2008 and 2012, could be an option, but if not, Contador could return in the end of year one-day races and the Tour of Beijing.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"We are not going to try to get him in the Vuelta if it's not reasonable, but he wants to race. He wants to show what he can do," Riis said. "He's never been better. If he's out for 10 days, he can still do it, but if he's out for three weeks then it'll be difficult."
Contador returned from a doping ban to win the Vuelta in 2012, but was not at his best in the 2013 Tour last year and placed fourth. Over the winter, he worked with Sky's former sports director Steven De Jongh and appeared better than ever this spring. He won the Tirreno-Adriatico and País Vasco stage races, and finished second overall in Algarve, Catalunya and the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Riis reportedly signed Peter Sagan from Cannondale for next year. He could race for stages and the green jersey with Sagan in the 2015 Tour, but he explained that he believes that Contador could still lead the team with Roman Kreuziger, who is provisionally suspended, as a plan B.
"Alberto can still come back and be a winner, he has years in him. There's not doubt about that," Riis said. "It'll be harder if he doesn't race [the Vuelta] but he needs to be ready for it."
Alberto Contador diagnosed with fractured tibia after Tour de France crash
Alberto Contador may have to have corrective surgery, says Tinkoff-Saxo team
Geraint Thomas sympathises with Tinkoff-Saxo after Alberto Contador crash
Geraint Thomas says Alberto Contador's absence will have a mixed effect on how much work Sky will have to do
Vincenzo Nibali: The Tour de France would be better with Froome and Contador
Vincenzo Nibali wary that his Astana team may be stretched over coming weeks, and that Movistar and Sky pose a
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
Giant's new Defy and Avail e-bikes pioneer a rear-hub motor and improved battery technology
The all-new Defy Advanced and Liv Avail E+ line-ups include an integrated power system that weighs just 2.3kg
By Luke Friend Published
-
Milan-San Remo addition will 'raise the level even higher' in women’s cycling, says Kasia Niewiadoma
'It's really motivating to see that in just one season, everything can change' says Tour de France Femmes winner as she reflects on a year of success on the road
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tour de Yorkshire to be replaced with new look cycling event in 2024
Tour de Yorkshire not due to return to north of England, although initial plans announced for new cycling event in area
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
The dog days aren't over at the Tour de France 2022: Canine chaos AND cuteness
‘Suddenly that beast crossed the street and I couldn’t go anywhere’ - stray dog causes Yves Lampaert to crash on stage 12
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel weigh in on 2009 feud with Alberto Contador
Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel have both weighed in on the 2009 feud between Armstrong and his team-mate Alberto Contador.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
Alberto Contador says he can't see Julian Alaphilippe winning the Tour de France
The two-time Tour champion maintains that Egan Bernal will win the French Grand Tour
By Jonny Long Published
-
Alberto Contador says Egan Bernal is ‘clear favourite’ for the Tour de France
The multiple Grand Tour winner says the 2019 Tour will be the most open edition in years
By Jonny Long Published
-
Andy Schleck: ‘Alberto Contador did something he shouldn’t have done, even if he denies it’
The Luxembourger also described winning a Tour de France title on paper rather than on the bike as 'bull***t'
By Jonny Long Published
-
Retired Alberto Contador missing competition, but relieved to no longer be 'slave to dieting'
The Spaniard says Sky's Chris Froome and Egan Bernal can both win Grand Tours in 2019
By Gregor Brown Published
-