Froome to leave Team INEOS at the end of the season - team statement

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VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF CHRIS FROOME

SHOWS: LINTON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 1, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. CHRIS FROOME RIDING BIKE

2. FROOME WITH INEOS TEAM BOSS DAVE BRAILSFORD (RIGHT) AND TEAM INEOS OWNER JIM RATCLIFFE

3. CLOSE UP OF FROOME, BRAILSFORD AND RATCLIFFE

4. FROOME RIDING

5. FROOME RIDING UP TO BRAILSFORD AND RATCLIFFE

6. FROOME AND RATCLIFFE

ALCUDIA, MALLORCA, SPAIN (FILE - JANUARY 11, 2015) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

7. FROOME ON TRAINING RIDE WITH THEN TEAM SKY

ZEIST, NETHERLANDS (FILE - JULY 3, 2015) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

8. FROOME SIGNING AUTOGRAPH AS HE WALKS PAST

9. FROOME TALKING TO TEAM SKY COLLEAGUE

PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JULY 21, 2013) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

10. VARIOUS OF FROOME ON PODIUM RECEIVING HIS YELLOW JERSEY AND CELEBRATING AFTER WINNING THE 2013 TOUR DE FRANCE

STORY: Four times Tour de France champion Chris Froome will leave Team INEOS at the end of the season, the team said in a statement on Thursday (July 8).

Froome, who won the Tour in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 is one win away from matching the record of five victories held jointly by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

"Chris's current contract comes to an end in December and we have taken the decision now not to renew it. We are making this announcement earlier than would usually be the case to put an end to recent speculation and allow the Team to focus on the season ahead," general manager Dave Brailsford said.

Froome, who suffered a horrible accident last year and returned to racing in February, said he was focused on winning his fifth Tour title with the team.

"It has been a phenomenal decade with the Team, we have achieved so much together and I will always treasure the memories," he added.