Three-time champion Alberto Contador has moved to calm rumours which suggest a painful knee could force him off the Tour de France prematurely.
The Spaniard originally suffered the pain in his right knee in a crash on the fifth stage last week, and compounded it on Monday when he came down in the crashed-marred ninth stage.
A day after admitting he was receiving treatment to deal with swelling, the yellow jersey champion says it's not so serious as to rule him out the race.
Contador has won the past six Grand Tours in which he has competed, winning the yellow jersey in 2007, 2009 and 2010, the Tour of Spain in 2008 and the Tour of Italy in 2008 and 2011.
Contador is 16th at 4 minutes and 7 seconds behind race leader Thomas Voeckler of Europcar.
