After three good years, Chris Froome's next step in his long comeback from a crash in 2019 is the Criterium du Dauphiné, where he will look to prove he is worthy of representing Israel Premier Tech in the Tour de France.

Froom is a four-time Tour winner but has been a shadow of his former self since suffering a crash in the 2019 Dauphiné that fractured his femur. He has been plagued by muscle imbalances and minor injuries, but this week he put in his best performance since the accident, finishing 11th in the Classique Alpes-Maritimes.

"In the last few months Chris has been making constant progress. The next race is always better than the last and the same is true during training."

"So to be able to run with good climbers and keep it up in a hard race is a real treat.

"I think it gives everybody confidence and peace of mind that he's on the right track, that things are going in the right direction."

Froom heads to the south of France this weekend to race in the Dauphiné, a race he has won three times before the Tour de France title. This year, he is not aiming for the top spot, but only to get to the start line of the Grand Tour.

Froome, who signed a big-money deal with Israel Premier Tec in 2021, competed in the Tour last year and was always likely to do so again this year. However, the team now finds itself in a battle for WorldTour survival, and according to Carlström, there are no guarantees for anyone.

"We haven't decided yet," he said. 'At the moment, what we're doing is following the race as it comes along. Once the race is over, we will assess the situation and move on.

"If the Dauphiné goes well, then of course the next step is to go to the Tour. But if it is the other way around, then we will have to assess the situation."

"If the race goes well, then the next step is to go to tools.

The Dauphiné is a week-long event and has World Tour status, but it is a completely different challenge than the Classique Alpes-Maritimes. For Carlström, the signs are good, but it is too early to say when Froome will regain his former strength.

"From what I've seen, it's always been realistic. The only question mark was how long it would take. This is still the same today. I can't give you a timeframe," he said.

"First of all, the crash was very serious. Now, everything is fine, at least for now. If you always have good training, things go in the right direction. Hopefully, if everything keeps going like this, we will soon see where it leads."