Contador in race against time

Reigning champion Alberto Contador is putting a brave face on a disappointing Tour de France campaign which has left him in a race against time to get fit for key stages in the Pyrenees.

Contador hampered an existing pain in his right knee during his fourth crash in eight days on Sunday's ninth stage, the second in the Massif Central.

The Spaniard, who has won all six Grand Tour in which he has competed in, finished the stage with all the yellow jersey favourites but still has a deficit of 1min 30sec to Andy Schleck and 1:41 to Cadel Evans.

Schleck and Evans have shared the last four runner-up places on the race and, despite the threat of Italy's Ivan Basso, they are likely to be the Spaniard's biggest obstacles to a fourth yellow jersey.

At a rest day meeting with media on Monday Contador said he is not too worried about his deficit, claiming he always has the 20th and penultimate stage time trial in which to close any gap.

AFP