Chris Froome back on bike for first time since horror crash
The four-time Tour de France winner has completed a couple of short track sessions as he continues his rehabilitation
Chris Froome is back on his bike 10 weeks after the crash which hospitalised him at this year's Critérium du Dauphiné.
The four-time Tour de France winner lost four pints of blood and suffered fractures to his femur, elbow, sternum and vertebra and was placed in intensive care after crashing during a recon of the stage four time trial course at the French race.
Since then, Froome has undertaken an arduous rehabilitation, saying the only goal he's set himself is to return to full fitness in time for the Tour de France 2020, where he will target a record-equalling fifth Tour victory.
The 34-year-old was back on the indoor trainer, pedalling with just his good leg, six weeks after the crash, but is now back on his bike.
A video posted to Twitter shows the rider interacting with fans in Nice and explaining to them what happened with his crash.
Team Ineos confirmed to Cycling Weekly that Froome has completed a couple of short track sessions, with the video in question filmed at the track, but that so far this is the limit of his riding.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The Brit is not yet able to return to open, public roads, with Froome clarifying this to a fan who thought he'd spotted him out on a training ride.
Despite being off the bike, Froome still managed to secure a Grand Tour, being handed the 2011 Vuelta a España after Juan José Cobo was stripped of the title following a doping violation.
When Froome returns to racing, he will face stiff competition for top billing in a stacked Ineos squad. At his last Tour de France in 2018, he had to watch team-mate Geraint Thomas climb up to the top step of the podium after securing a shock victory, and after Egan Bernal won this year's race the British squad will boast three former winners of the French Grand Tour.
That's before including Richard Carapaz, the Giro d'Italia 2019, who has been heavily rumoured to be moving to Ineos from Movistar ahead of the 2020 season.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.