Chris Froome claims that he was told by Tour de France champion Egan Bernal that Froome would sacrifice his defense of the yellow jersey in order to win his fifth Tour title next year.

Froome won the Tour in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017, but was seriously injured in a crash in June and was unable to participate this year.

At the Giro d'Italia, Bernal, who was originally scheduled to lead Team Ineos until his own injury forced a schedule change, competed and won the Tour, while fellow Ineos rider and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas finished in second place.

After undergoing surgery next month to remove a metal plate from his right foot, Froome will begin training again and is eager to win his fifth Tour title in 2020, the most in history.

In an interview with France Télévisions that aired Sunday, he was asked if the 22-year-old Bernal is prepared to support him next July.

"He says yes: 'I have to be the strongest. If he's the strongest, if he wins, I'm happy.'

Froome spent more than three weeks in the hospital this summer after crashing at 60 km/h while riding before the time trial at the Criterium du Dauphiné in June. In addition to a broken femur, he suffered fractures of his hip, elbow, sternum, and vertebrae.

The 34-year-old has undergone extensive rehabilitation and has increased his training since his first bike ride at the end of August. His recovery has been faster than expected, and he is eyeing the Tokyo Olympics road race and the 2020 Tour.

Thus, it appears that the crash was not as career threatening as initially feared, and when asked by France Télévisions if he would retire if he won his fifth Tour title, Froome replied: "No, no, no. No, no, no.

"Everyone says I should stop when I get to the top, but I love cycling and I want to continue. If I can't win, I will help someone who can. I won four races in the Tour.

Last month, Froome claimed that the challenge of coming back from such a serious injury would only motivate him more.

"A fifth Tour title is a big deal in itself. But to go from a potentially career-ending crash to a fifth title is ...... even bigger," he said.

"After the crash, I said, 'He's done. He will never win another Tour. They just drive me on."