Four-times Tour de France winner Chris Froome waits for resumption of competition after lockdown, says recovery almost complete

Four-times Tour de France winner Chris Froome said his recovery from a horrific accident last year was nearly complete and his training load was back to normal as he prepares for when competition resumes after the new coronavirus outbreak. [caption id=“attachment_6802161” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Chris Froome. AFP[/caption] Speaking during a Team Ineos virtual race on Sunday, Froome described his recovery as “going really well” as he waits out the coronavirus lockdown at home in France. “I’d go as far as saying it’s pretty much complete,” said the 34-year-old British rider. “I am still doing some exercises off the bike just to strengthen that right side that was injured but I’m back to normal training loads again.” Froome spent more than three weeks in hospital after breaking his neck, femur, elbow, hip and ribs when he crashed into a wall at high speed while training for the Criterium du Dauphin last June. The accident happened when he took his hands off the handlebar to blow his nose and was hit by a gust of wind. He returned to competition in February at the UAE Tour, a race that was cut short by the coronavirus. International racing has been suspended until at least 1 June, with May’s Giro d’Italia as well as the Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege classics all having been postponed because of the pandemic. But Tour de France organisers are focusing on a postponement of the 27 June-19 July race rather than a cancellation, according to an email seen by Reuters on Saturday which was sent to the publishers of the official Tour programme. Since returning home, Froome said life had revolved around family and training. “Staying really busy with the kids every day and doing as much training as I can on the turbo trainer (stationary bike) and a lot of gym work as well,” he said. “We’re all driving each other mental but getting through it.”