Speedy recovery could help Froome race at Tour

Four months after a careerthreatening, highspeed crash left him with multiple fractures, Chris Froome has resumed training in the hope that he can compete for a recordequaling fifth Tour de France title.

Still a bit shaky on his feet, the Team Ineos leader attended the 2020 race presentation on Tuesday alongside teammate Egan Bernal, the 22yearold prodigy from Colombia who became the Tour champion while Froome was in his sick bed.

“I’m on the road to recovery still,” Froome said. “I’ve made it back onto the bike in this last month, which has been fantastic. I’m heading in the right direction.”

In June, a few weeks before the Tour start, Froome hit a wall during a training ride as he geared up for cycling’s biggest race. He underwent a sixhour operation after breaking his right femur, elbow and several ribs in the crash that ended his season.

“I’ve still got a plate on my hip that needs to get removed soon, and once that comes off I think things will start to improve a little bit faster,” Froome said.

Froome, who won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, could join an elite club of four riders with five Tour victories: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

Time could be a factor for the Kenyaborn athlete. Now 34, Froome has no guarantees he will fully recover, and he faces strong competition within his team with Bernal and Geraint Thomas, who dethroned Froome at the 2018 Tour.

“We’ve got an amazing lineup, an amazing roster of riders to select from,” Froome said. “There is nothing decided yet. For me, personally, I have obviously to get myself back to that level before even discussing leadership, or anything like that. At least, for now, everything is going the right direction. I’m optimistic.”