Chris Froome had to be airlifted to a French hospital after suffering a fractured spine and five broken ribs in a serious training crash that may well mark a sad end to his professional cycling career.
The four-times Tour de France winner turned 40 in May and there has been no talk of his team, Israel-Premier Tech (IPT), extending his contract beyond December 31. Indeed, it is widely suspected that this will be Froome’s last season on the professional circuit, despite his claim in March that he hoped to ride on for a few more years.
Certainly, any hope of racing again this season appears to have evaporated with what is the second major accident of his career.
Froome was flown to hospital in Toulon on Wednesday after the accident near Saint-Raphaël in the south of France, but remains conscious and was due to undergo surgery on Thursday afternoon.
Froome won the Tour de France four times during Team Sky’s era of dominance
MIKE EGERTON/PA
“Chris Froome was airlifted to hospital in Toulon yesterday afternoon following a serious training crash (no other cyclists or vehicles were involved),” an IPT statement read. “Fortunately, Chris is stable and did not sustain any head injuries, however, scans have confirmed a pneumothorax, five broken ribs, and a lumbar vertebrae fracture, for which he will undergo surgery this afternoon. We will update on Chris’s condition following surgery.”
For a period, Froome dominated the professional peloton. As well as his Tour victories he won two Vueltas (2011 and 2017) and one Giro d’Italia (2018). However, a heavy crash while training for the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné resulted in him fracturing his femur, elbow, ribs and pelvis.
He was unable to perform at the same level after the accident and left Team Ineos — formerly Team Sky — for IPT in 2021. His best result was a third-place finish on the Queen Stage of the 2022 Tour atop Alpe d’Huez; a stage that was won by Tom Pidcock.
Thomas will retire from racing after the Tour of Britain
TIM DE WAELE/GETTY IMAGES
Geraint Thomas, Froome’s fellow Briton and former Sky team-mate, has confirmed he will retire after the Tour of Britain next month but is planning on staying in professional cycling. The Times has reported that Ineos plan to offer him a management role, and the 2018 Tour winner has now revealed that discussions on the subject have taken place.
“Dave Brailsford is sort of back in the fold now with the team,” Thomas, 39, told the BBC in reference to the former team principal who recently stepped away from his role at Manchester United to refocus on cycling.
“The thinking is just to be able to work closely with him and learn off him from that side of things as well. Nothing’s certain yet but that’s the idea anyway, so hopefully we can figure that out soon.”