Tour de France great Chris Froome was flown to a hospital after a massive crash in southern France in which he sustained multiple serious injuries.
The 40-year-old rider was involved in the crash on Wednesday afternoon, near Toulon, some 170km from his Monaco base. Notably, no other riders were involved.
His team, Israel-Premier Tech, also stated that the accident was “serious,” but confirmed Froome was in stable condition and survived without a head injury.
The medical checks showed the extent of Froome’s injuries:
- Five broken ribs
- Collapsed lung
- Broken lumbar vertebra
As reported by French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Froome was conscious during his evacuation and had a conversation with doctors as they took him to the hospital. He will be undergoing surgery on his back on Thursday.
“He’s stable, alert, and in wonderful care,” read a source in the team.
Froome is generally accepted as being one of the greatest and most resilient riders in the sport. He had the spotlight in 2013 when he won his first Tour de France, with three titles on the trot from 2015 to 2017.
He enters a very exclusive group of riders with four or more Tour wins, along with legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.
As well as his Tour wins, Froome has also recorded the following victories:
- Two Olympic bronze medals (London 2012 & Rio 2016) in the individual time trial
- An OBE in 2015 for service to British sport
This is not the first time Froome has experienced a serious injury. He missed the 2019 Tour de France after a high-speed crash during training when he fell into a wall and was left in intensive care with several fractures.
Wednesday’s accident raises new doubts about his future in competitive racing. Now free of contract at the end of the 2025 season, Froome already said it may prove to be his final year on the professional circuit.
For a rider whose career has been constructed on determination, grit, and miraculous comebacks, this latest setback is a bitter pill to swallow. With the rest of the 2025 season probably gone, Froome now sets his attention on rehab and potentially the last act of his enduring legend.
Regardless of whether or not he returns to the sport, Froome has his place in cycling history. But for his teammates and supporters, and indeed for him, everyone will be waiting to see what he does next.
No official retirement has been announced yet, so rumour runs amok. Will Froome battle on for one final Tour de France? Or is it the last curtain call for a sports legend?
