Chris Froome Airlifted to Hospital After Serious Training Crash

Monaco, Monaco – Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has been airlifted to a hospital after sustaining significant injuries in a training crash on Wednesday. His team, Israel-Premier Tech, announced the news on Thursday, stating that the 40-year-old cyclist will undergo surgery later in the day.

The training accident occurred near Froome’s home in Monaco, with no other cyclists or vehicles involved, according to the team. A statement issued by the team 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.”

Froome was last seen racing earlier this month at the Tour de Pologne, where he placed 68th overall. His last major victory came at the 2018 Giro d'Italia, and he experienced a dramatic crash ahead of the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine, which caused him to break multiple bones.

Despite his previous injuries forcing a lengthy recovery, Froome has continued to compete. However, his current circumstances have raised concerns that he might be nearing the end of his professional cycling career, especially at the age of 40. His contract with Israel-Premier Tech is set to expire at the end of the current season.

This crash adds to a challenging week for his team, as they dealt with disruptions caused by protestors during a team time trial at the Vuelta a España. Earlier this week, Canadian cyclist Derek Gee announced he was terminating his contract with IPT, citing untenable issues, though IPT disputes this claim.

His team confirmed they will provide updates on Froome’s condition following the surgery.