Chris Froome in hospital after crash before Dauphine stage four to leave Tour de France bid in doubt

The Tour de France is only three and a half weeks away, and Froome has built his season around peaking for the race

Chris Froome has been taken to hospital following a crash before stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine, leaving his bid to win a fifth Tour de France in doubt.

Team Ineos confirmed in a statement that Froome had come off his bike during a reconnaissance of the day’s ride, an individual time trial around Roanne in central France, and had withdrawn from the race.

The Tour de France is only three and a half weeks away, and Froome has built his season around peaking for the race as he aims to join an elite club of only four legendary riders to have won five Tours.

Team Ineos released a brief statement, which read: “Team Ineos can confirm that Chris Froome crashed during a recon of stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine today.

“He is currently on his way to a local hospital and won’t start today’s fourth stage. We will provide a further update in due course.”

Earlier in the day, Team Ineos principal Sir Dave Brailsford said he would do everything in his power to help Froome achieve his goal at the Tour.

Froome will be battling for leadership of the team with last year’s winner Geraint Thomas, while the talented young Colombian Egan Bernal will also be keen to make an impact.

“We’re going to do all we can to support Chris in his bid to win a fifth Tour, to cement his place in history and join the exclusive club of five-time winners,” Brailsford said. ”Sport is full of history and legends. We have to try and do great things, but we also have other riders to manage, too, like Geraint and Egan.

Chris Froome came off his bike in central France (AFP/Getty Images) (Getty)

“[Bernal] is at the beginning of his career compared to Chris and Geraint, who are older. He is still discovering his abilities in terms of where he can go. Comparing him to Geraint and Chris, they’re experienced riders. We’ve worked with them for a long time now, and when the time comes for Egan to step up, then I don’t think there’ll be a problem between the riders.”

Bernal and Thomas will race the Tour de Suisse, which starts on Saturday, before heading to the Tour de France.