Tinkoff-Saxo appear to have given up hope that Alberto Contador can retake enough time in the Tour de France to complete his Giro-Tour double. The team would now be satisfied with Contador getting a podium to make it a 1-1-3 at least in his last three Grand Tours.

“Of course it’s disappointing, but it is like it is,” sports director and Contador’s trainer, Steven De Jongh told Cycling Weekly.

“He can still realise the double podium – with the 2014 Vuelta a España win, the Giro and a podium in the Tour – that’s still a great result. Of course, you have to adjust your dreams a bit.”

Even some of his most experienced teammates don’t seem to think Contador has the legs left in him to win another Tour and become the first man since Pantani in 1998 to win the Giro and Tour in the same year.

“We need to be realistic,” his helper Michael Rogers told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The podium is still possible, but the general classification [win] in my opinion is difficult.”

The problem, de Jongh says, is not fatigue, but the presence of a very strong Chris Froome, leading the race by over three minutes on second placed Nairo Quintana while Contador lies fifth.

“Without Froome? Then we would still be in the running. Yes,” explained De Jongh.

“Froome is very strong, also the other opponents who focused on the Tour could not keep up with him.”