Chris Froome has been airlifted to hospital in Toulon after suffering multiple injuries in a serious training crash on Wednesday afternoon. The 40-year-old was riding near Saint-Raphaël when the incident occurred, with his team Israel-Premier Tech confirming that no other cyclists or vehicles were involved.
The four-time Tour de France winner was conscious at the scene and flown by helicopter to hospital, where scans confirmed a pneumothorax, five broken ribs, and a lumbar vertebra fracture. Froome is stable and did not suffer any head injuries, but will undergo surgery in Toulon. “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,” the team said in a statement. “We will update on Chris’ condition following surgery.”
Froome last raced at the Tour de Pologne earlier this month, finishing 68th overall, but his future in the sport remains uncertain with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. This latest setback comes six years after a high-speed crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019 left him with fractures to his femur, elbow and ribs, and derailed his bid for a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title.
Since joining Israel-Premier Tech in 2021, Froome has struggled to return to his former level, though he has continued to target the sport’s biggest races. His last victory dates back to the 2018 Giro d’Italia, adding to his palmarès of four Tours de France and two Vueltas a España.
At 40, and with surgery imminent, Froome faces another difficult recovery. For now, attention turns to his condition in the coming days as the team monitors his progress in Toulon.
