By Chris Dutton
Defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome has revealed he spent a night in hospital and feared he had fractured a vertebrae after crashing into a motorbike on the 12th stage this year.
The three-time Tour de France winner remarkably powered through pain after scans cleared him of major damage to go on and win the famous race.
Chris Froome at Lake Jindabyne on Friday.Credit: L'Etape
In a wide-ranging and revealing question and answer with cyclists in Jindabyne, Froome detailed for the first time his injury fears and chaotic scenes where his bike broke and he was forced to run up the slopes of Mount Ventoux.
Had Froome broken his back he would not have been able to complete the rest of the race.
Britain's Chris Froome runs after he crashed at the end of the 12th stage of the Tour de France.Credit: AP
"Certainly something I haven't shared, I didn't share with anyone during the Tour de France or told anyone else this, but during that crash I must have been hit from behind," Froome said.
"I really, really hurt my back, to the extent that I thought I had fractured a vertebrae.
"The next three or four days I was in quite a bit of pain on the bike and had the time trial coming up straight after that. That was painful.
"I ended up in hospital a few nights, missed all my massage and physio sessions to go in and get my back scanned to see what was happening because it just wouldn't settle down.
Pile-up: Chris Froome, right, wearing the yellow jersey, Bauke Mollema, centre and Richie Porte .Credit: AP
"After the Olympic Games just before the worlds it started to settle down and thankfully there was nothing seriously damaged."
Froome also said his unusual descending style of sitting on the top tube of his bike rather than his seat resulted in a cracked frame.
"In all seriousness, it's not something I would recommend people do," Froome told a captivated audience.
"It was my climbing bike ... you're not meant to sit there and I'd broken it, there was a crack there. It is quite dangerous."
Froome is in the Snowy Mountains for a L'Etape race, which is designed to give amateur riders a chance to experience what it's like to ride in the Tour de France.
Froome will start at the back of a bunch of thousands of riders and try to catch them over a 157-kilometre stage through Jindabyne, Thredbo and Perisher.
Froome is one of the sport's biggest names and backed a Canberra duo – mountain-bike buddy Michael Matthews and Paris-Roubaix winner Mathew Hayman – to continue their respective good form.
Froome believes Matthews' decision to swap teams to join Giant-Alpecin will help him take the next step in his career and become a threat for the Tour de France green jersey.
Froome and Matthews both live in the south of France and have done mountain-bike training together to break the monotony of road cycling.
"He's a massive talent for the future, he's got a lot left to do in the sport and he's already achieved so much," Froome said.
"He's got a bright future ahead of him. Everyone is open to make whatever move they want and I think he's made a move to go to a team where he can be supported as a leader to go for the [Tour de France] green jersey.
"I wish him all the best and I think he's got a good chance to take that, we'll see what the future holds.
"I don't see why he can't win there, he can climb pretty well as well and hang in there for the tough stages."
Froome already has three Tour de France titles, winning in 2012, 2015 and 2016 and believes he can power into the future in the world's toughest race.
Froome and Hayman were Team Sky teammates from 2010-13 before Hayman joined Orica-BikeExchange.
Canberra veteran Hayman broke through for the famed Paris-Roubaix title this year and won the prestigious Oppy medal as Cycling Australia's best athlete of 2016.
Hayman is unsure of when he will retire as he prepares to continue an almost 20-year career.
"It was remarkable, absolutely incredible [to see Hayman win the Paris-Roubaix], I couldn't be happier for Mat," Froome said.
"He's such a hard worker and I'd say 95 per cent of the time he's doing a job for someone else so it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy for him to win probably the toughest one-day race out there.
"He brought a lot of experience to the team, was always sensible and had good advice. He was just a pleasure to be around.
"I'd like to hopefully be coming into my prime now as a professional athlete so hopefully I've got a few more years left in the legs."