Chris Froome back on the road for the first time since Critérium du Dauphiné crash

Chris Froome (Team Ineos) has returned to the bike, riding on home roads in the south of France on Sunday afternoon. The four-time Tour de France winner posted a selfie to Twitter, adding that he felt "good to be back on the road again."

It's the first time that Froome has ridden on the road since his brutal crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné. The Briton was riding a time trial recon at the June race when he lost control on a descent, hitting a wall and suffering multiple, career-threatening injuries.

In addition to a fractured femur, Froome fractured his elbow, sternum and vertebrae and also lost four pints of blood. After being airlifted to a local hospital, he would spend time in intensive care and he ultimately spent a total of three weeks in hospital before being released.

Since then, he has been riding a stationary bike and he also got out to a local velodrome to complete several laps, the first taste of outdoor cycling he had since the crash.

Froome suffered a minor setback in early September, undergoing surgery on his right thumb after accidentally damaging a tendon in an accident with a kitchen knife at home.

There has also been more positive news, however, with Froome stating earlier this month that he aimed to return to racing at post-season criteriums before the end of 2019. He has since signed up to start the Saitama Criterium in Japan in late October.

The 34-year-old has set his sights on a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title next season, and has said that he will compete at the Tokyo Olympics afterwards.