Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech), a four-time winner of the Tour de France, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has left this year’s race ahead of the final mountain stage to Hautacam.
Froome made the announcement on Twitter just as the stage of the race was beginning. He had been among the Israel-Premier Tech riders to sign on at the start of stage 18 in Lourdes but tested positive shortly afterwards
The 37-year-old concluded his social media message by explaining he would go home and refocus on the Vuelta a España that starts in mid-August.
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“Unfortunately I have some pretty disappointing news to share with you this morning,” he said in a video message. “A test has shown that I’ve contracted Covid, so I’m not going to be making the start today.
“I’m really disappointed not to be able to roll into Paris and finish this Tour de France. It’s been an extremely special race for us as a team, and for me personally as well.
“I’ve really been finding my legs again and I’d really like to thank everyone for your support through this process.”
Froome has struggled with his recovery ever since his severe crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019. However he had shown signs of his old self when he took third place on stage 12 to L'Alpe d'Huez.
“I gave it everything I had today and I don't have any regrets,” Froome said after stage 12.
“Where I've come from in the last three years, to finish third on one of the hardest stages of the Tour, I can be really happy with that.”
After a strong Tour de France for Israel-Premier Tech, with two stage wins in the race, stage 18 could have been a target for Froome to make his final mark on the race.
It comes after Damiano Caruso from Bahrain Victorious and Imanol Erviti from Movistar both also left the Tour ahead of stage 18 with positive COVID-19 tests.
Froome is the 15th rider to leave the Tour after testing positive for COVID-19. He follows Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic), and Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), among others to catch the virus. The race continued on to stage 18 with 140 starters from the original 176.
