Tour de France

Froome fractured wrist and hand

ESPN staff

July 11, 2014

Chris Froome abandoned the Tour de France during the fifth stage © AP

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Chris Froome has confirmed he suffered fractures to his wrist and hand in the three crashes that forced him to abandon this year's Tour de France.

The defending champion initially injured himself when he fell five kilometres in stage four after two riders touched wheels in front of him.

He received medical treatment before finishing the stage safely and was cleared to continue after going for an X-ray, but slipped twice more in testing wet conditions the next day and couldn't carry on, climbing into Team Sky's support car.

MRIs done, confirmed fractures to the left wrist & right hand. Time for some R&R...
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) July 11, 2014

Froome's withdrawal came on the back of Mark Cavendish pulling out after a dramatic late crash on the final straight of the opening stage in Harrogate.

Sky's Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates are the only remaining Brits in the race, with Richie Porte now leading the team in Froome's absence.