(Reuters) - Chris Froome says he is "fully focused" on getting back to his best after speaking for the first time since a crash at the Criterium du Dauphine that ruled him out of the Tour de France.
The four-times Tour champion sustained multiple fractures including broken femur, elbow and rib bones when he crashed at high speed while checking the course ahead of the individual time trial on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Briton was airlifted to the University Hospital of St Etienne, where he is continuing his post-surgery recovery.
"I know how lucky I am to be here today and how much I owe to all the paramedics and medical staff on the race," Froome said in a statement https://www.teamineos.com/article/froomes-thanks-for-overwhelming-support.
"Whilst this is a setback and a major one at that, I am focusing on looking forward.
"There is a long road to recovery ahead, but that recovery starts now and I am fully focused on returning back to my best."
Froome offered his thanks for the overwhelming number of messages of support from fans.
"This is obviously a tough time but I have taken a lot of strength from the support over the last three days," he added.
"The outpouring of support has been really humbling and something I would never have expected."
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
