‘This bicycle hiker’ Chris Froome makes cameo on French news

Famed “bicycle hiker” Chris Froome has made a subtle appearance on a French news show, as he was stopped from completing his planned route due to forest fire risks. 

The four-time Tour de France winner made a brief cameo on France 2, the part state-owned national broadcaster, during a training ride not far from his home in Saint-Raphaël on the Mediterranean coast.  

During the broadcast, Froome is stopped from continuing along the road due to the risk of forest fire in the Massif de l'Esterel mountain range.

Local authorities in the south of France have recently warned of a “very severe risk” of forest fires, a blazes have swept across other parts of southern Europe, with residents being warned to stay away from the forests earlier this week.  

The journalist presenting the piece on France 2 referred to Froome as “Ce randonneur à vélo”, which roughly translates as ‘bike hiker,’ seemingly unaware it was a sporting superstar on a training ride. 

Video of the moment has emerged on social media, after it was spotted by another French journalist Johan Rouquet, and has sparked plenty of enjoyment for cycling fans. 

One Twitter user said: “France 2 didn’t recognise a multiple winner of the flagship sporting event, which it has been broadcasting for decades on their antennas.”

Another said: “Working on the news doesn’t make you an expert in cycling. No one recognises cyclists unless they really care about them.

“Personally I don’t give a damn about cycling so I never would have recognised him.” 

Froome hasn’t raced since he completed the Tour de France last month, as he is still fighting his way back to fitness after his career-threatening injuries in 2019.

>>> Who are the British riders riding the Vuelta a España 2021?

Having opted to skip the Vuelta a España, the 36-year-old will see out the rest of the season in a number of smaller races, including the Deutschland Tour and the Tour of Slovakia, ending the year at the autumn Classics in Italy, including Il Lombardia.