Froome pulls out of Spanish Vuelta with broken foot
FILE – In this July 24, 2015, file photo, Britain’s Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, grimaces as he crosses the finish line of the 19th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 138 kilometers (85.7 miles) with start in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and finish in La Toussuire, France. Froome will be racing both for and against history when the Spanish Vuelta starts Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015. The Tour de France champion will be aiming to become the third cyclist to win both the Tour and the Vuelta in the same season. But to join Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) as the only riders to complete the rare double, Froome will have to finally win the Grand Tour that has left him with runner-up finishes on two occasions. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
MADRID — Chris Froome has pulled out of the Spanish Vuelta after fracturing a bone in his foot.
The two-time Tour de France champion — and two-time Vuelta runner-up — said on his Twitter account that the navicular bone in his foot was fractured, adding, “End of the Vuelta for me.”
Froome, who had been hoping to win the Vuelta after winning this year’s Tour de France, fell early in Wednesday’s 11th stage and looked to be in pain for the rest of the tough mountainous ride, although he managed to finish.
The Team Sky rider was 15th overall, 7 minutes, 30 seconds behind race leader Fabio Aru.
The 30-year-old Froome won his second Tour title in July.
