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ST FLOUR, France (Reuters) - Three-times Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was hoping Monday's rest day will give his bruised knee a chance to heal after he suffered yet another fall on Sunday.
Contador, who was held up in a crash in the first stage and hit the deck in the fifth stage, tumbled off his bike during Sunday's ninth stage after his handlebars got tangled with Russian Vladimir Karpets's saddle.
"I'm a bit bothered with my knee, I fell on the same knee that I hurt when I crashed the previous times," Contador told reporters at his Saxo Bank-Sungard team bus after crossing the line.
"I'm actually quite worried because I have pain in that knee. I'm going to need to recover from that, I'm not feeling great."
Contador lost over a minute to his main rivals in the first stage and lies 16th in the standings, 4:06 behind overall leader Thomas Voeckler of France, and is hoping Monday's break will help him to recuperate.
"I thought it wasn't bad at first but it got worse as the race went on. It's not been my Tour," he said.
"I really need this rest day to come, it will help me relax."
Commenting on the incident that sent Contador to the tarmac earlier on Sunday, Saxo Bank-Sungard team manager Bjarne Riis told reporters: "I don't think he (Karpets) did it on purpose, it's unfortunate. His saddle went into Alberto's handlebar and then that kicked him down and that's it."
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Contador, who was held up in a crash in the first stage and hit the deck in the fifth stage, tumbled off his bike during Sunday's ninth stage after his handlebars got tangled with Russian Vladimir Karpets's saddle.
"I'm a bit bothered with my knee, I fell on the same knee that I hurt when I crashed the previous times," Contador told reporters at his Saxo Bank-Sungard team bus after crossing the line.
"I'm actually quite worried because I have pain in that knee. I'm going to need to recover from that, I'm not feeling great."
Contador lost over a minute to his main rivals in the first stage and lies 16th in the standings, 4:06 behind overall leader Thomas Voeckler of France, and is hoping Monday's break will help him to recuperate.
"I thought it wasn't bad at first but it got worse as the race went on. It's not been my Tour," he said.
"I really need this rest day to come, it will help me relax."
Commenting on the incident that sent Contador to the tarmac earlier on Sunday, Saxo Bank-Sungard team manager Bjarne Riis told reporters: "I don't think he (Karpets) did it on purpose, it's unfortunate. His saddle went into Alberto's handlebar and then that kicked him down and that's it."
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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