Clément Pédron, Media365, published on Saturday November 9, 2024 at 10:52 a.m.
In an interview with Marca, Chris Froome looked back on his season and his performances as he approaches his fortieth birthday. The Briton also said he hoped to take part in the Tour de France one last time next year.
A last dance with the Tour de France in 2025 for Chris Froome? The four-time winner of the event in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 is a dream. On the eve of celebrating his fortieth birthday, still on a bike, the Briton secretly cultivates the ambition of participating in one last “Loop” in France, a land where he has enjoyed so much success. The three-time winner of the “Vélo d'Or” still has one year of contract with his Israel-Premier Tech team, which is enough time to hope to be among the lucky ones next July. In an interview with Marca a few days ago, the double winner of the Vuelta (2011 and 2017) confided his state of mind about the Tour de France. “I always dream of it,” smiled the Englishman. I don't know yet what my program will be for next year. We will see at the next training camp in 2025. But my challenge is to try to run in a big race again. »
A defining injury in 2019
Of course, as he indicates, Chris Froome has no certainty about his year 2025. He is also rather lucid about his current level, far from what he has been able to do over the last eight or ten years. The tipping point was certainly in 2019 when, in full recognition of the Dauphiné time trial, he was sent into a low wall at 54 km/h by a gust of wind even though he had let go of one hand from the handlebars to blow his nose. Verdict: open fractures of the femur and elbow, fractures of several ribs, the sternum and a vertebra and a loss of one liter of blood. After a long convalescence, he never regained his former level. “I have to be honest and realize that I can no longer have the same challenges as before this fall, but I still love cycling,” said Froome again for Marca. Back in 2021 with a 133rd place, non-starter at the start of the 18th stage in 2022, the rider did not experience the 2023 and 2024 editions. So finally the good one in 2025?
