Froome calls 2019 Dauphine crash a career turning point
Cycling – Tour de France – Stage 13 – Dole to Belfort – Dole, France – July 17, 2026 Former British cyclist Chris Froome ahead of stage 13 REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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LE MARKSTEIN, France, July 18 : Britain’s Chris Froome told Reuters in an interview that the serious 2019 crash he experienced during the Criterium du Dauphine had marked a pivotal moment in the four-time Tour de France winner’s career.
The accident occurred in June 2019, weeks before the Tour de France, when Froome hit a wall and fractured his femur, elbow, hip and ribs.
“That crash in the Dauphine was a huge turning point in my career,” Froome said, speaking days after officially calling time on his career. “I regret that crash. I was in a great place to fight for the fifth Tour de France.”
At that time, the Briton was chasing the victory that would have seen him equal the record five Tour de France wins of Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, following his triumphs in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
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Ultimately, the seven-time Grand Tour winner did not claim another victory after his overall win at the 2018 Giro d’Italia.
But Froome said continuing his career after 2019 was the right decision.
“If I had done that, I would have spent the rest of my life thinking: ‘Maybe I could have won another Tour de France.’ And that would have probably been more damaging to me,” he said.
“It was difficult and it definitely took time to accept. I think there was probably a period of at least two or three years where I was still chasing the dream.”
After winning all of his Grand Tours with Team Sky, later rebranded as Team Ineos, the two-time Olympic bronze medallist joined Israel-Premier Tech in 2021 for the last five seasons of his career.
“I knew that this would be the last contract,” Froome said. “I didn’t get the chance to speak about my retirement because I had the crash at the end of August last year.”
Nearly a year ago, the 41-year-old suffered more broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a back fracture during a training crash.
“No one wishes to have a life-threatening injury like that,” he said, adding retirement was “a moment (he) was waiting for, especially after all the crashes”.
Froome had already suffered a broken collarbone in February 2025.
The Kenya-born rider, back on this year’s Tour de France in an ambassadorial role for a brand, said he would always cherish his first win on the Tour, which came one year after he came second behind his team leader Bradley Wiggins.
“I was just so eager to have that opportunity to race the Tour and everything really came together for me in 2013,” Froome said. “It was such an amazing feeling reaching Paris in yellow. That was a day I will never forget.”
Source: Reuters
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