Chris Froome undergoes surgery following serious training accident in France

Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome was undergoing surgery on Thursday after a serious training accident left him with injuries that could signal the end of his career.

The 40-year-old suffered a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs in a crash on Wednesday and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Toulon on the French Riviera, around 100 miles from his home in Monaco.

French newspaper L’Equipe reported that Froome was conscious on arrival at the hospital and able to speak to medical staff.

Froome’s injuries will certainly end his season and with it perhaps his career, given he is in the final months of the five-year contract he signed with the Israel Premier-Tech team when he joined them for the start of the 2021 season.

A statement on Froome’s official X profile, also distributed by his team, said: “Chris was airlifted to hospital in Toulon yesterday following a serious training crash (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 this afternoon.

“We will update on Chris’ condition following surgery.”

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— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) August 28, 2025

Froome is one of the most successful cyclists in the history of the sport, having won seven Grand Tours – adding the Giro d’Italia and two Vuelta a Espana crowns to his four Tour successes, all achieved with Team Sky, now the Ineos Grenadiers.

He first won the Tour in 2013 and then won it three years in a row between 2015 and 2017.

Only four men have more Tour titles, with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault