Froome’s Tour de France comeback for Israeli cycling team in doubt after crash

Chris Froome lays on the road after crashing during the first stage of the Tour de France, on June 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Chris Froome lays on the road after crashing during the first stage of the Tour de France, on June 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

After a three-year absence from the Tour de France, Chris Froome’s comeback might already be over after only one stage.

The four-time champion was in a massive high-speed crash about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the finish of today’s opening stage in Landerneau.

Froome, who missed the last two Tours after a 2019 crash threatened to end his career, stayed on the road for a moment and struggled to get back on his feet.

He finally got back on his bike and finished the stage, lagging more than 14 minutes behind stage winner Julian Alaphilippe.

It is unclear whether he would be able to keep on racing and be at the start of Sunday’s Stage 2.

“Not how I planned for today to go, but I managed to finish,” he said before undergoing scans.

Froome was tasked with a role of road captain at his new Israel Start-Up Nation team, and was expected to work in support of leader Michael Woods.

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