After falling ill in the days after the Tirreno-Adriatico race, Alberto Contador has taken the decision to cancel his planned participation in this weekend’s Critérium International race in Corsica. The Spaniard was one of the top stars billed for the two day event but he has decided to play it safe and will instead concentrate on his recovery before racing again.
According to Contador’s spokesman, he came down with a flu after Tirreno-Adriatico, where he finished third overall. The belief is that the rough weather encountered in Italy brought about the illness.
“Alberto Contador, in agreement with Bjarne Riis and the team doctors, have decided that the best thing to do right now is to recover quietly to resume training as soon as possible, in order to arrive in good condition to his next target on this early part of the season, the Vuelta al País Vasco,” his press officer Jacinto Vidarte stated.
A number of other big names will compete in Corsica, including BMC Racing Team duo Cadel Evans and Tejay van Garderen, Andy Schleck (RadioShack Leopard), Sky duo Chris Froome and the Paris-Nice winner Richie Porte, plus Garmin-Sharp’s Andrew Talansky.
Contador’s return to racing in the Vuelta al País Vasco will be on April 1st.