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Tour great Chris Froome dismisses fitness concerns

Chris Froome has spoken out after quotes attributed to a Team INEOS boss appeared to suggest he was struggling to regain full fitness.

By John Skilbeck
Tour great Chris Froome dismisses fitness concerns

London, January 6: Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has scotched claims his recovery from injury has suffered a setback.

The British rider was seriously injured at the Criterium du Dauphine in June, when he broke a leg, his elbow and suffered fractured ribs after crashing into a wall.

Froome underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season but is gearing up for racing again in 2020 with Team INEOS.

Reports had claimed Froome was struggling to get back to full health, with Team INEOS sports director Dario David Cioni quoted as casting doubt on that prospect.

In quotes widely attributed to Italian publication Bicisport, Cioni is reported to have said: "After two days of training in Spain, Froome, who aspires to the fifth yellow jersey, returns home. He is not well and who knows if he will recover."

Yet Froome has given his side of the story, and stressed the picture is far brighter than has been suggested.

He wrote on Twitter: "Hope that I can set this straight, I was last at a training camp at the beginning of December. My recovery is going well and I will be heading to my next training camp on Thursday. Onward."

Froome, who will turn 35 in May, last won a Grand Tour event when taking victory at the 2018 Giro d'Italia. His Tour de France triumphs came in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, while he also has two wins at the Vuelta a Espana on his impressive list of honours.

As well as returning to the saddle for the annual major events on the cycling calendar, including the Tour in June and July, Froome is also hoping to ride for Great Britain at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this year.

He was one of several riders to take an opportunity in October to visit the route for the Olympic road race, which includes climbs on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji.

Story first published: Monday, January 6, 2020, 10:20 [IST]
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