Chris Froome, the British cyclist who has won the Tour de France four times, is on the road to recovery. His team confirmed Friday that he underwent successful surgery. This comes after a serious training crash he had on Wednesday. The news brings a sigh of relief, though the journey back will be long.
His team, Israel-Premier Tech, shared the update on social media. They stated that Froome’s procedures went as planned. He is now recovering in the hospital, with his medical team close by. The team also mentioned that the 40-year-old rider is in good spirits. He feels thankful for the excellent medical care he received.
Reports on Thursday detailed the accident that led to his hospital stay. Froome was taken to a hospital in Toulon, France. His team said it was a serious crash during training. No other cyclists or vehicles were involved, making it a solo incident. Luckily, he was stable and had no head injuries. However, doctors found a collapsed lung, five broken ribs, and a fractured lower back vertebra. The fractured lower back bone was the injury that needed surgery.
Froome was born in Kenya and has an impressive cycling history. He dominated the Tour de France, winning in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. His trophy cabinet also holds two wins at the Vuelta a España, in 2011 and 2017. He added a Giro d’Italia title in 2018, completing cycling’s Grand Tour triple crown.
He spent most of his top-level career with the British Sky team, from 2010 to 2020. For the last two of those years, the team was known as INEOS. He then moved to the Israeli team, Israel-Premier Tech, in 2021. His contract with them was set to end this year.
Despite his 46 career wins, Froome hasn’t stood on the top step of a podium since that 2018 Giro d’Italia win. That same year, he also placed third in the Tour de France, which his Sky teammate, Geraint Thomas, won. His career took a major hit in June 2019. He had a brutal crash during a stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné race, an event that changed his trajectory.
After that crash, his Grand Tour appearances have been tough. He finished 133rd in the 2021 Tour de France and had to drop out in 2022. He also rode the Vuelta a España, finishing 97th in 2020 and 113th in 2022. He has not competed in a Grand Tour since then. This year, Froome had competed in five stage races. His best result was 55th overall in the Sibiu Tour in Romania. This latest accident adds another tough chapter to a career already marked by incredible highs and challenging setbacks.