Tuesday 12 July 2016 21:15, UK
Alberto Contador has ruled himself out of the Olympic Games after being told he will need four weeks to recover from the injuries he sustained at the Tour de France.
The 33-year-old Spaniard crashed on both stage one and stage two and later pulled out of the race with a fever on stage nine.
MRI scans and examinations showed Contador had sustained multiple contusions and injured his left hamstring, right thigh and left shoulder.
He had been hoping to ride in the Olympic road race, which takes place on August 6 on a hilly course that suits his style, but he is now hoping to make his comeback at the Vuelta a Espana, which starts on August 20.
Contador said: "After what Dr Leyes told me, the Olympics are discarded because it's not a matter of just going there, but to reach them in optimal condition, and it looks like that will not be possible.
"Now my goal is to recover for the Vuelta a Espana, which I do think I can get to. I will try to shorten times, but now what's good is to rest and recover.
"The Olympics were my second big goal of the year, after the Tour. This year the route is suitable for climbers and I could have done a good race, but things are as they are."
Meanwhile, cyclingnews.com have reported that Contador will join Trek-Segafredo next season after signing a two-year contract.
