Defending champion feeling pressure as Tour set to enter the Pyrenees

SAINT-FLOUR, France - Tour de France champion Alberto Contador revealed he is "anxious" over ongoing pain in his right knee which flared up again during the crash-marred ninth stage of the race on Sunday.

Contador crashed for the fourth time in eight days when he tumbled in the first third of the 208 km stage from Issoire to Saint-Flour in the Massif Central.

The Spaniard, who lost over a minute to his rivals in a crash on stage one, was apparently unhurt and got up to finish the stage with the rest of the yellow jersey favorites.

But the three-time champion, who came into the race having secured his sixth Grand Tour victory in a row at the Giro d'Italia, later revealed that a pain he has endured since crashing twice on Wednesday's fifth stage flared up again.

"Today I had a few problems and I'm a little bit anxious about my knee," said Contador.

"After I crashed I began feeling the pain again but I hope with some ice and some rest it will get better."

Rumors suggested Contador, who was near the left side of the peloton when he crashed 84km into the stage, had been nudged by Russian Vladimir Karpepts of the Katusha team.

Saxo Bank manager Bjarne Riis explained that Karpets's saddle had simply bumped into Contador's handlebars, forcing the Spaniard to lose balance and tumble.

"I don't think he did it on purpose. His (Karpets) saddle went into Alberto's handlebar and he knocked him off balance," said the Dane, who won the Tour in 1996.

"Sometimes it is like that. You can only wish that kind of thing doesn't happen."

Asked how Contador was feeling after a crash-marred week of racing that has left many feeling battered and bruised, and ended the campaigns of challengers Jurgen van den Broeck and Bradley Wiggins, Riis was philosophical.

"I don't think anybody has been brilliant these days," he said.

"Of course I believe he's really waiting for the mountains, and he's looking forward to that."

After riding out of the Massif Central on Tuesday, the race moves into the Pyrenees for three consecutive stages which are likely to eliminate more yellow jersey contenders.

Contador has a tradition of putting his rivals to the sword in the high mountains of the Grand Tours, and has a job of his hands with a deficit of 1 min 30 sec on main rival Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 07/12/2011 page23)