CHRIS Froome has vowed to get back to his best after speaking for the first time since the horror smash that nearly wrecked his career.
The Team Ineos star and four-time Tour de France winner shared a thumbs-up picture from his hospital bed in St Etienne where he underwent six-hour surgery on Thursday.
In the picture he has dressings on his elbow and his midriff is covered.
He said: "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."
Twitter followers immediately sent him messages of support after the smash at 37mph that saw him lose control of his time trial bike and hit a house wall in France.
Froome had surgery on his thigh bone, elbow and ribs and it later emerged he also suffered a small fracture in his spine after the crash which also saw him lose four pints of blood. .
He faces at least six months off the bike and will not challenge for the Tour de France title he has won four times, meaning defending champ Geraint Thomas will lead Ineos starting on July 6.
Froome added: "I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sent their best wishes to me since the crash.
ROAD TO RECOVERY
"This is obviously a tough time but I have taken a lot of strength from the support over the last three days.
"The outpouring of support has been really humbling and something I would never have expected."
Thomas starts his Tour warm-up today when he rides the Tour de Suisse and boss Sir Dave Brailsford will desperately hope the Welshman avoids a crash.
Well wishers from all over the cycling world have sent Froome messages of encouragement, including his team-mates and former fellow Team Sky rider Bradley Wiggins.
Wiggo tweeted: "Wishing you a full & speedy recovery Chris x."
Froome also learned he will be in for another grand tour title after Spaniard Juan Jose Cobo had abnormalities in his biological passport from 2011.
Cobo has a month to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
