Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome says he is “relieved to be heading home from the hospital” following his crash in southern France last week.

The 40-year-old Briton posted a picture on X of him holding the hand of his daughter and thanked the Sainte-Anne Toulon military hospital where he had surgery.

Froome was airlifted to hospital after sustaining five broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a lumbar vertebrae fracture in the training crash near Toulon.

His wife Michelle later told The Times, external that Froome’s injuries were “obviously a lot more serious than some broken bones”.

She said the doctors discovered a pericardial rupture – an injury where the sac that surrounds the heart is torn – during surgery which they were able to repair.

Froome is one of the most decorated cyclists in history.

He has won seven Grand Tours, with one Giro d’Italia and two Vuelta a Espana titles alongside his Tour de France triumphs.

Only four men – Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain – have won more Tour de France titles.

Froome also won two Olympic bronze medals in the individual time trial in 2012 and 2016, and was made an OBE for his services to cycling in 2015.

The Israel–Premier Tech rider is out of contract at the end of the year and has previously suggested 2025 could be his final year of competitive racing.