British cyclist Froome ‘in good spirits’ after surgery on injuries from training accident

TOULON, France (AP) – Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome underwent successful surgery after sustaining a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs in a training accident in France, his team said Friday.

The 40-year-old British cyclist crashed on a training ride Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital in Toulon.

“He is in good spirits and grateful for the excellent medical support he has received,” the Israel Premier-Tech team said in a statement that also was posted on Froome’s Instagram account.

The team said Froome had “successfully undergone surgery.”

“The procedures went as planned, and Chris is currently recovering in hospital under the care of his medical team,” it added.

Froome won the Tour de France in 2013 and three in a row from 2015-17.