Chris Froome Hints at Cycling Return

Chris Froome has hinted at a possible return to cycling after suffering a horror crash in August. He crashed in training on the Cote d’Azur and was airlifted to hospital in Toulon.

What happened?

The four-time Tour de France winner suffered a collapsed lung, five broken ribs, and a fractured spine in the accident. He also sustained a pericardial rupture, which has a mortality rate of between 20 and 60 percent. The crash brought an end to the 40-year-old’s season and feared it could spell the end of his career.

Why it matters for Chris Froome

Froome has taken to Instagram to provide a major update on his recovery, showing himself back on the bike. He wrote: “It’s been a tough road back after my latest crash but it feels so good to finally be out here spinning the legs and on the road again.” The seven-time grand tour champion is currently out of contract after leaving Israel Premier-Tech.

What comes next?

Froome’s career was derailed by another serious crash in training during the Criterium du Dauphiné in 2019. He crashed into a wall at 54km/h, fracturing his right femur, elbow, and ribs. Froome missed the rest of the season as he endured a lengthy rehabilitation process. He never reached the same heights as before the crash, with his best result since then a third place on the 2022 Tour de France stage to Alpe d’Huez. Froome has not raced the Tour since that edition and faced a further setback to his attempts to rebuild his career. He crashed and broke his collarbone at the UAE Tour this February. The Israel Premier-Tech team confirmed his departure, thanking him for his hard work and wishing him well. Froome joined the team on a five-year contract from 2021 after leaving Ineos Grenadiers.