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Multiple fractures put Chris Froome out of Tour de France after Dauphiné crash

Team Ineos rider crashed during recon ride for today's time trial, breaking femur, ribs and elbow...

Chris Froome sustained multiple injuries while warming up for the time trial at the Criterium du Dauphiné this morning and will miss next month's Tour de France, which the four-time yellow jersey winner had been aiming to win for a record-equalling fifth time.

Leadership of Team Ineos at the three-week race, which starts in Brussels on 6 July, now falls to defending champion Geraint Thomas of Team Sky.

Froome reportedly crashed when he took his hands off the bars to wipe his nose on a fast section of today's Stage 4 course of the Dauphiné.

In a statement released this evening, Team Ineos doctor Richard Usher said: "Chris was taken to Roanne Hospital where initial examinations confirmed multiple injuries, most notably a fractured right femur and right elbow.

"He has also suffered fractured ribs. He is now being airlifted to St Etienne University Hospital for further treatment.

“On behalf of the team, I would like to commend the treatment he received from the emergency services and all at Roanne Hospital in assessing and stabilising him.

“We will now turn our focus towards supporting him in his recovery."

Team principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, commented: "Our primary focus now is obviously on ensuring Chris gets the very best possible care, which he will do, so he can recover as soon as possible.

“One of our big strengths on this team is coming together in difficult moments, and we will ensure we do everything possible to support Chris and his family.”

Brailsford added: “Even though we all recognise the risks involved in our sport, it’s always traumatic when a rider crashes and sustains serious injuries.

“Chris had worked incredibly hard to get in fantastic shape and was on track for the Tour, which unfortunately he will now miss.

“One of the things which sets Chris apart is his mental strength and resilience – and we will support him totally in his recovery, help him to recalibrate and assist him in pursuing his future goals and ambitions.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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30 comments

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Scoob_84 | 4 years ago
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Hope he manages to recover from this for next years tour. If he manages to win a 5th tour after coming back from this that would be an exceptional way of equalling the all time tour greats. 

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CXR94Di2 | 4 years ago
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I hope he recovers well.  The rest of this year will be in recovery and rehabilitation.  It all depends on the severity of the breaks.  He will have the best advice and surgeons, but at the extremes of peak physical fitness this could be career ending.  2

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Richard D | 4 years ago
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I broke my femur 5 years ago, and will never get the full strength back due to damage done to the quads (partly when the femur fractured, but mostly during the op to reduce and fixate the fracture).  Hip/neck of femur fractures are often fairly simple ops and fairly quick recoveries; but a fracture to the shaft is a 6-12 month healing process.   I wasn’t able to walk without crutches for 4-5 months, and I’d spent many hours on a recumbent turbo trainer (ironically watching the Vuelta - I’d smashed my leg on the first day of the Tour) trying to retain some strength and fitness.  The surgeon would not countenance me getting back on the bike for 9 months.  

I had thought that it was a 4-6 week recovery period when I got to A&E; the on-call orthopaedic surgeon quickly disabused me of that notion.  A collar-bone or rib might take that sort of time to heal; the femur takes months.  I wasn’t even allowed to bear any weight at all on my leg for the first 7 weeks.

Some people are lucky and make a quick recovery.  For the unlucky ones, there are non-unions and years of pain and operations.  I would start by thinking a broken femur is (Bertie's hairline crack notwithstanding) career-ending, and a full recovery to race again at the highest level can be hoped for but is not to be taken for granted.

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perfect1964 | 4 years ago
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If he was wiping his nose maybe he had a bit of a cold and had overdone the old Brailsford cold remedy - Tramadol. 

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Xena | 4 years ago
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. Did he take both hands off to wipe his nose ? Maybe he was practicing for when he uses is asthma pump on the road 

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Jimnm | 4 years ago
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He’s had quite a few tumbles. No fat on him for cushioning when he hits the deck. I hope he recovers soon 4 to 6 weeks usually. It’s a long time for him to be off his bike though! 

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Jetmans Dad | 4 years ago
1 like

According to the BBC, he hit a wall at about 60kph when he took his hands off the bars to blow his nose ... Make of that what you will. Already seen quotes from Brailsford saying he is going to miss the TdF.

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alansmurphy | 4 years ago
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With regards to age, you also have to consider Chris was relatively late to riding (maybe younger in terms of what his body has been through) and has generally had the best possible support in terms of recovery etc. after every race...

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to alansmurphy | 4 years ago
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alansmurphy wrote:

With regards to age, you also have to consider Chris was relatively late to riding (maybe younger in terms of what his body has been through) and has generally had the best possible support in terms of recovery etc. after every race...

Was he,  he was with with Konica Minolta when he was 21 and riding with Barloworld by the time he was 22, his 2008 season was a full season, 2009 he's still a youth rider when he completes the Giro, basically he's one full year behind Cavendish in terms of full pro seasons.

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Wiltsrider | 4 years ago
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I wonder if G is regretting spending so much time on the lash after his TdF win now?

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Rapha Nadal replied to Wiltsrider | 4 years ago
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Wiltsrider wrote:

I wonder if G is regretting spending so much time on the lash after his TdF win now?

"marginal gains" will see that he's ready.

Fractured femur, ribs, and elbow for Froome apparently.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 4 years ago
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I thought Geraint Thomas had a small fracture of the Pelvis, a broken Pelvis would not have seen him get back on a bike. This is just like when people said dirty Bertie had broken his lega few years ago when in fact he had a minute fracture, hence why he was able to get back cycling in short order.

Hope Froome isn't too badly injured and can recover in time for the TdF.

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Jackson | 4 years ago
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I'm not a Dr but am guessing there are broken femurs and broken femurs. The only guy I can recall doing it was Joseba Beloki (prompting Lance's infamous cyclocross descent) and he was never the same and retired shortly after (also didn't help that he got popped in Op Puerto). But Froome's injury could be a lot less serious, there's no info yet and no point speculating.

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Batchy replied to Jackson | 4 years ago
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Jackson wrote:

I'm not a Dr but am guessing there are broken femurs and broken femurs. The only guy I can recall doing it was Joseba Beloki (prompting Lance's infamous cyclocross descent) and he was never the same and retired shortly after (also didn't help that he got popped in Op Puerto). But Froome's injury could be a lot less serious, there's no info yet and no point speculating.

I broke my neck of femur ( hip) 15 years ago in a  cycling accident. Was out of hospital in 4 days and back at work decorating at 4 months.  Steady turbo training once off crutches about 8 or nine weeks. Full fitness about 8 months. Given that Chris Froome will get top treatment and facilities he will be like a coiled spring before this year is out. 

I believe that it is his femur not hip that is broken so I assume it will be a plate and a few screws job. Hips require " the Halifax nail" or Dynamic Hip Screw to be more precise. This is what I have and have no problems since it was implanted when I was 54 years old.

It will probably affect Froome's head more than anything until he gets back on the bike.

 

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Batchy replied to Jackson | 4 years ago
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Jackson wrote:

I'm not a Dr but am guessing there are broken femurs and broken femurs. The only guy I can recall doing it was Joseba Beloki (prompting Lance's infamous cyclocross descent) and he was never the same and retired shortly after (also didn't help that he got popped in Op Puerto). But Froome's injury could be a lot less serious, there's no info yet and no point speculating.

I broke my neck of femur ( hip) 15 years ago in a  cycling accident. Was out of hospital in 4 days and back at work decorating at 4 months.  Steady turbo training once off crutches about 8 or nine weeks. Full fitness about 8 months. Given that Chris Froome will get top treatment and facilities he will be like a coiled spring before this year is out. 

I believe that it is his femur not hip that is broken so I assume it will be a plate and a few screws job. Hips require " the Halifax nail" or Dynamic Hip Screw to be more precise. This is what I have and have no problems since it was implanted when I was 54 years old.

It will probably affect Froome's head more than anything until he gets back on the bike.

 

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Sheen wheels replied to Batchy | 4 years ago
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I broke my femur neck in February and the dynamic hip screw has failed completely - apparently there is a failure rate of approximately 30% on these, depending somewhat on the angle of the break across the neck. I'm going back in next week for a full hip replacement - fingers crossed it holds this time.

Of course, I have a few decades on Chris Froome, and I was going much slower at the time when I hit an ice patch. The orthopaedic surgeons say there is now a recognisable category of cyclists in their 50s and 60s breaking their femoral neck, and if you are in this category my own experience suggests you’re better off going straight to the full replacement. That, of course, does not apply to Froome, who also has quite a lot of other damage besides the femur.

Batchy wrote:

Jackson wrote:

I'm not a Dr but am guessing there are broken femurs and broken femurs. The only guy I can recall doing it was Joseba Beloki (prompting Lance's infamous cyclocross descent) and he was never the same and retired shortly after (also didn't help that he got popped in Op Puerto). But Froome's injury could be a lot less serious, there's no info yet and no point speculating.

I broke my neck of femur ( hip) 15 years ago in a  cycling accident. Was out of hospital in 4 days and back at work decorating at 4 months.  Steady turbo training once off crutches about 8 or nine weeks. Full fitness about 8 months. Given that Chris Froome will get top treatment and facilities he will be like a coiled spring before this year is out. 

I believe that it is his femur not hip that is broken so I assume it will be a plate and a few screws job. Hips require " the Halifax nail" or Dynamic Hip Screw to be more precise. This is what I have and have no problems since it was implanted when I was 54 years old.

It will probably affect Froome's head more than anything until he gets back on the bike.

 

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brooksby | 4 years ago
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If a professional rider breaks a leg, what sort of timescale do they have for recovery?  I mean - is it likely to affect his future career...?  Hope he recovers soon, anyhoo.

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Jackson replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

If a professional rider breaks a leg, what sort of timescale do they have for recovery?  I mean - is it likely to affect his future career...?  Hope he recovers soon, anyhoo.

If Froome had won it this year, the only three winners older than him would have been Cadel Evans by a few days and two guys who won it before WW2. I'd say he isn't going to be winning five and certainly not seven

 

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brooksby replied to Jackson | 4 years ago
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Jackson wrote:

brooksby wrote:

If a professional rider breaks a leg, what sort of timescale do they have for recovery?  I mean - is it likely to affect his future career...?  Hope he recovers soon, anyhoo.

If Froome had won it this year, the only three winners older than him would have been Cadel Evans by a few days and two guys who won it before WW2. I'd say he isn't going to be winning five and certainly not seven

OK thanks. So realistically, he's just going to be commentating from now on...?

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alansmurphy | 4 years ago
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You could say G is now favourite but knowing Skineos there's a chance that Egan will get joint protection or launched a couple of times...

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Rick_Rude | 4 years ago
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Oh well, that's team orders sorted.

It's really annoying when people are put out on training rides and recons. Obviously more so for them but you know what I mean.

Hopefully he can come back and take the Vuelta but I doubt it.

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EM69 | 4 years ago
1 like

Thats cycling, $hIt happens...

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Organon replied to EM69 | 4 years ago
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EM69 wrote:

Thats cycling, $hIt happens...

But, was he riding to conditions? [Is what they say.]

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Awavey | 4 years ago
2 likes

Quotes from Brailsford appearing online via french tv that Froome is definitely out of TdF

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Yorky-M | 4 years ago
7 likes

Awful. Heal quick Chris 

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mrml | 4 years ago
2 likes

Cyclingnews reporting broken femur. Ouch.

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waldner71 | 4 years ago
3 likes

Huge blow For Froomey and Ineos...

Hope he makes a quick and full recovery. Was looking forward to seeing him go for the 5th TDF with G.

Broken Femur is usually a  3-6 month recovery, so looks like season over, just hope he makes it back on the bike fully recovered and we see him going for another grand tour ..fingers crossed 

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peted76 | 4 years ago
4 likes

Bad news. Shame he was looking super sharp at the Dauphine.

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Scoob_84 | 4 years ago
1 like

Bad news for Froome, could feel like a wasted season for him.

I appreciate i sound like a dick, but this is surely good news for G and the yellow jersey competition in the TdF. 

 

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ktache | 4 years ago
4 likes

I hope he's alright.

Just the thought of the tensions within the team for the TdF are exciting.

Edit.  I do hope he makes a speedy recovery.

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