Froome breaks back during horror crash in training

29 Aug 2025 - The Guardian

Sean Ingle

Chris Froome has been airlifted to hospital after suffering a collapsed lung and breaking his back and five ribs during a serious crash while training in France.

The four-time Tour de France winner’s team confirmed that Froome would undergo surgery in Toulon after the incident which took place on Wednesday. It said that the 40-year-old was now stable, and that no one else had been involved in the crash.

“Chris was airlifted to hospital in Toulon yesterday afternoon following a serious training crash,” a statement posted on Froome’s X account said. “No other cyclists or vehicles were involved.

“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.”

It is the second serious training crash in Froome’s career, during which he has won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 as well as the Vuelta a España in 2011 and 2017 and the Giro d’Italia in 2018.

In 2019, Froome was left in intensive care after a freak accident while travelling at 37mph during a reconnaissance ride at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The incident occurred when Froome took his hand off his handlebars to blow his nose before a gust of wind destabilised his bike. He then crashed into a wall and lost consciousness.

After being airlifted to hospital, Froome was discovered to have fractured his right femur and suffered a broken hip, as well as a fractured elbow and fractured ribs, and later admitted he was “lucky to be alive”.

The Israel-Premier Tech rider, who is out of contract at the end of the year, is expected to miss the remainder of the season with his injuries.