Chris Froome, the active leader with four Tour de France titles and seven Grand Tour titles overall, will not race this year’s Tour that starts July 1.
Froome, a 38-year-old who last contended for a major title in 2018, was not among the eight riders named to the Israel-Premier Tech team on Friday.
“I’m obviously disappointed with the decision,” Froome said in a statement, according to Global Cycling Network. “The Tour de France holds an incredibly special place in my heart.
“I respect the team’s decision and will take some time before refocusing on objectives later in the season and returning to the Tour de France in 2024.”
Last year, the Brit Froome withdrew from the Tour before the 18th stage after testing positive for the coronavirus. He was in 26th place overall with a best stage finish of third up Alpe d’Huez.
This year, Froome was 97th in the Tour de Romandie in April, 55th in a one-day ascent of Mont Ventoux on June 13 and 40th in the four-stage Route d’Occitanie in France last week while bike problems hindering his results, according to GCN.
“Physically I was ready, but unfortunately I was unable to show my full ability at the races assigned to me due to equipment issues,” Froome said, according to the reported statement.
Froome won four Tours de France from 2013-2017 and placed third in 2018. He missed the 2019 and 2020 Tours after breaking his right femur, elbow and several ribs crashing into a wall at 34 miles per hour in a June 2019 crash.
Froome is the lone active cyclist to have won all three Grand Tours.
NBC Sports and Peacock air live daily coverage of the Tour. A broadcast schedule is here.
