Top cyclist Roome ‘hit’ by car driver in France

PARIS: Tour de France champion Chris Froome said on Tuesday that he had his bike written off by an impatient driver in a hit-and-run incident.

The 31-year-old three-time winner of the world’s biggest bike race, who has been training in the south of France, tweeted a picture of the twisted remains of his “totaled” training bike, saying he had been deliberately knocked off by the driver.

Froome said he was “okay” after the incident, while also posting an emoji of hands clasped in prayer.

“Just got rammed on purpose by an impatient driver who followed me onto the pavement! Thankfully I’m okay. Bike totaled. Driver kept going!”, the Team Sky rider wrote.

Froome was handed his third yellow jersey in July last year when he rode into Paris after finishing a tricky final mountain stage safely.

After winning the race in 2013 and 2105, he became the first rider since Miguel Indurain in 1995 to win three Tours de France. Froome is now in training to defend his title in July.