Four-time Tour de France-winning cyclist Chris Froome has been airlifted to hospital following a “serious” crash in training.
A statement posted from Froome’s official X account said he did not suffer any head injuries but scans revealed he has a lower back fracture, a collapsed lung and five broken ribs.
The 40-year-old Briton is in a stable condition and is set to have surgery for his back injury later on Thursday, the statement said.
It added that an update on Froome’s condition will be provided after the operation.
No other cyclists or vehicles were involved in the crash.
The British rider was on a training ride on Wednesday when the accident occurred and he was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Toulon on the French Riviera.
He has been racing with Israel Premier-Tech since 2021, with the team posting on X after the crash: “Please join us in wishing @chrisfroome well and a speedy recovery.”
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Froome won the Tour de France with Team Sky in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and has won the Vuelta a Espana twice and the Giro d’Italia once.
However, the three-time Olympic bronze medallist has been nowhere near his best form since suffering serious injuries in a horrific high-speed crash during training for the Criterium du Dauphine in 2019.
He spent more than three weeks in hospital after fracturing his neck, femur, elbow, hip and ribs when he crashed into a wall at high speed while training.
Froome more recently broke his collarbone at the UAE Tour in February and has also hinted that 2025 could be his final year of competitive racing.
