Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech) has tested positive for COVID-19 and has withdrawn from this year's race before the final mountain stage to Otakam.

Froome made the announcement on Twitter (opens in new tab) just before the race stage began. He had signed on as an Israeli Premier Tech rider at the start of stage 18 in Lourdes, but tested positive shortly thereafter.

The 37-year-old concluded his social media message by explaining that he would go home and refocus on the Vuelta a España, which begins in mid-August

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll be able to do it.

"Unfortunately, I have some rather disappointing news this morning. Tests have shown that he is infected with covid.

"I'm really disappointed that I couldn't make it to Paris and finish the Tour de France. It was a very special race for the team and for me personally.

"I'm getting my legs back again and I really want to thank everyone who has supported me through this process.

Since his big crash at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphiné, Froome has struggled to recover. But he showed signs of his old self when he finished third on stage 12 to L'Alpe d'Huez.

"I gave it everything I had today and I have no regrets," Froome said after stage 12.

"I'm really happy to have finished third on one of the most difficult stages of the Tour in the last three years."

For Israel Premiatek, stage 18, which was a strong stage for the team with two stage wins in the Tour de France, may have been the last target for Froome to leave his mark.

Damiano Caruso of Bahrain Victorious and Movistar's Imanol Erviti also left the Tour before stage 18 after testing positive for COVID-19.

Froom became the 15th rider to leave the Tour due to a positive COVID-19 test. He followed Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Warren Barguil (Arkea-Samsic), and Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) in contracting the virus. The race continued into stage 18 with 140 riders starting instead of the original 176.