Contador hurts shoulder in Tour fall

Alberto Contador‘s bid for glory in the 100th Tour de France got off to a bad start as the Spanish rider injured his left shoulder in a crash towards the end of today’s first stage in Bastia.

Contador, who has won the Tour twice and was also stripped of the 2010 title after testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol, has been tipped to be the main threat to race favourite Chris Froome of Britain.

His Saxo-Tinkoff team will now be hoping that there are no consequences to his fall and that he will be able to continue unhindered in Sunday’s second stage, a shorter 156-kilometre ride across the rugged interior of Corsica from Bastia to Ajaccio.

“I am OK. Now we will need to see how I feel tomorrow,” Contador told media at the end of the stage.

“In the Tour, you never know what is going to happen. There was a rider in front of me who didn’t slow down in time and I ended up on the ground.”

Saxo-Tinkoff sporting director Philippe Mauduit added: “A fall causes bruising. It is the next day that you notice the pain.”

Contador also suffered a fall on the opening stage of the 2011 Tour. However, he has not lost any time on his rivals after Saturday’s accident, with all riders being awarded the same time at the end of a chaotic day’s racing.

as/nr