Aurillac (France): Alberto Contador dismissed on Tuesday a report suggesting the three-times champion could be about to quit the Tour de France because of a knee problem.
The 28-year-old Spaniard has been suffering from inflammation of his right knee after crashing twice since the start of the Tour, prompting a French daily to report that he could leave the race in the Pyrenees.
"The idea (of pulling out) did not even cross my mind," Contador, who has been nursing the injury with a lot of ice, told reporters before the 10th stage on Tuesday.
"Go home? Yes, but not before the end of the Tour. I will do everything I can to reach Paris as the winner. I feel actually better."
Contador lies 16th in the overall standings, 4 minutes and seven seconds behind Thomas Voeckler of France.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 18:53