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Chris Froome to return to racing at UAE Tour next monthChris Froome 2020 headshot via Team Ineos.PNG

Chris Froome to return to racing at UAE Tour next month

Team Ineos star back in the peloton eight months after Dauphiné crash
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Jan 22, 2020 11:30
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Chris Froome will be back racing at the UAE Tour next month, marking his return to racing more than eight months after his horrific crash during the Critérium du Dauphiné last June.

The 34-year-old had been undertaking a recce of the individual time trial course at the French race when he crashed into a wall, sustaining injuries including fractured ribs, right femur and elbow.

Having undergone several operations, he began training late last year and his sole focus this season is to be back to full fitness ahead of the Tour de France, which starts in Nice on 27 June.

In a message posted to Twitter, Froome said: “Training's been going really well over here in Gran Canaria, so I'm really happy to announce that I'm going to be starting my season at the UAE Tour next month starting in Dubai.

“It's a race I missed out on last year so it's a great place to start my season this time around.”

Last week, Froome said that the possibility of being able to challenge for a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey was fuelling his determination to fully recover from his injuries and return to racing.

“The only appointment I've set myself is the Tour de France – and until then, every week I'm just going to keep chipping away, keep trying to make the most of every camp and every race to build up to July and hope that come that start line in Nice, I'll be ready to go,” he said.

“The prospect of going for a fifth yellow jersey is just massive for me, it's such a motivation. But on top of that now, obviously coming back from this injury, it's even more reason for me to try and get back there.

“There are no guarantees in sport. No guarantees that I'll be back to challenge for it, but I'm going to give it absolutely everything I've got.”

Covering seven stages, the UAE Tour takes place from 23-29 February.

Chris Froome
Team Ineos
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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4 comments

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The_Vermonter | 4 years ago
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The cynical side of me says that he got an appearance offer that was hard to turn down. 

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abrooks replied to The_Vermonter | 4 years ago
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The_Vermonter wrote:

The cynical side of me says that he got an appearance offer that was hard to turn down. 

 

I don't think so.  Sky/Ineos are the best example of a team that I can think of who have the money to let their athletes plan their training around peaking for whatever their goal is,  without racing getting in the way.  Given the lack of clarity around what his role at the tour may be I don't think Froome would do a single pedal stroke that does not contribute in some way to him lining up in Nice fit to compete.

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waldner71 | 4 years ago
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Amazing that Froomey will be back in the Peleton so soon after what happened. No guarantees as he has said himself but we know he will move heaven and earth to get back to his best. 
 

 Will be good to have him back, I'll be following his progress with interest.

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peted76 | 4 years ago
1 like

Probably a good one for him to get back to riding in a race as it's usually so flat and boring with just a couple of uphills toward the end of the race.

It's amazing really, his recovery, eight months is a long time, but considering he sustained such dramatic injuries to get back to a level where he preparing to race with the world tour is an achievement in itself. I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the gruppetto for most of this race, but it'll be good to see him racing again. 

It'll also be interesting to see how he copes the next time he comes down or crashes. That'll be another real test for him and the team.

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