'It's definitely a setback for me' - Chris Froome halts training progamme after picking up a knee injury

ByEurosport

Updated 03/01/2022 at 13:33 GMT

"It's unfortunate but I'm going to have to make the best of it and keep working on things that I can work on off the bike - make sure to do a lot of core work, strengthening muscles I can work on without stressing that tendon further," four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome said after reporting a knee injury.

Chris Froome has been forced to halt his training programme after reporting discomfort in his knee.

The four-time Tour de France winner had been working hard in his fitness, but he has been forced to pause after pain in the outer part of his knee continued.

"For the last 10 days or so I've been getting quite a lot of pain on the outside of my knee while I'm pedalling," Froome said on his YouTube channel.

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"The scans have basically shown that I've damaged my TFL tendon, which is where the IT band connects on the side of the knee."

Froome feels his hunger to get on his bike and work hard contributed to the problem.

"Unfortunately I think getting back into training these past couple of weeks I might have been a little bit too keen, pushing a little too much," the 36-year-old said.

"This was after a few weeks off the bike and maybe the body wasn't ready to push that hard. It's flared up and caused a bit of inflammation."

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The Israel Start-Up Nation rider has spoken positively about still being able to compete in a Grand Tour, but his plans for the 2022 season are now on hold.

“I have to take the best part of a week off the bike completely before starting very gradually without loading it for the best part of two to three weeks after that," Froome said.

It's definitely a setback for me.

"I'm not too sure where I'm going to start the racing season. This is definitely going to push everything back slightly.

"It's unfortunate but I'm going to have to make the best of it and keep working on things that I can work on off the bike - make sure to do a lot of core work, strengthening muscles I can work on without stressing that tendon further."

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