Four-Time Tour de France Champion Froome Airlifted French Hospital After Training Crash

Chris Froome, a four-time Tour de France winner and seven-time Grand Tour champion, was airlifted to a hospital in Toulon after a serious training crash that resulted in a collapsed lung, five broken ribs, and a lumbar vertebrae fracture. His team Israel-Premier Tech confirmed he is stable and did not suffer any head injuries, but he is set to undergo surgery on his back injury. The accident occurred while Froome was training alone, with no other cyclists or vehicles involved. Froome, 40, has struggled to return to his previous form after a severe crash in 2019 that caused multiple fractures and spent weeks in the hospital. Earlier this year, he also broke his collarbone during the UAE Tour and was not selected for this year's Tour de France. With his contract ending soon and recent injuries, this latest crash may signal the end of Froome's professional cycling career, despite his earlier hopes to compete in the Tour de France one last time before retiring.