File image of four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome. AP
Froome was caught in the second of the opening day's big crashes, on a downhill, less than eight kilometers from the finish of the first stage in Landerneau.
File image of four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome. AP
Perros-Guirec, France: Four-time winner Chris Froome, who was injured on Saturday in the opening stage of the Tour de France, declared himself "ready" for the second scheduled stage between Perros-Guirec and Mur-de-Bretagne on Sunday.
"It hurts quite a bit this morning but I will try to get past the stage today," said the 36-year-old, who races for the Israel Start-Up Nation team.
Froome was caught in the second of the opening day's big crashes, on a downhill, less than eight kilometers from the finish of the first stage in Landerneau.
The Briton remained seated on the road for several minutes before getting back on the bike and finishing the stage.
He then went to undergo medical examinations, including a scan.
"No fractures thankfully but there’s a lot of swelling & bruising to my left leg and thorax," Froome tweeted on Saturday evening.
Not how I planned for today to go but I managed to finish. Off for some scans I will update this evening.
I hope everyone else who came down is okay #TDF2021— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 26, 2021
Sunday's second stage is a hilly 183.5 km ride starting from Perros-Guirec and ending with a sapping double climb up the Cote de Mur-de-Bretagne.
Froome is racing the Tour de France for the first time since suffering multiple injuries when crashing into a wall at high speed in May 2019.
He showed astonishing determination and professional focus on his long struggle back, leaving Ineos and joining ISN.
Froome won the Tour in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.