Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen attacked from the beginning and gained the eleventh stage of the Tour de France whereas race favourite Tadej Pogačar crashed close to the end Wednesday.
Pogačar, the three-time champion, crashed with about 2.5 miles remaining. His rivals for the final classification slowed down so he might get again on his bike and rejoin them. He was in a position to reattach his chain, and his bike was in any other case undamaged.
He thanked the group after crossing the end line apparently unharmed and with out dropping time.
“I am fairly OK, a bit crushed up, however we have been via worse days, so it has been a busy day really from begin to end,” Pogačar instructed reporters. “In the long run, I had somewhat little bit of a crash, and due to the peloton in entrance, they really waited. Clearly, the race was roughly over again there, however nonetheless, they might have taken time.
“Actually large respect to all people in entrance. Thanks in your assist, guys.”
Ben Healy, who retained the general chief’s yellow jersey, mentioned he had a quick chat with two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard, seen as Pogačar’s essential rival for the title, and each agreed they need to watch for the Slovenian bike owner.
Abrahamsen beat Swiss rider Mauro Schmid in a photograph end in a remaining dash after Belgian-born Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel made a late push to catch them. It was the Norwegian rider’s first stage win on the Tour and the primary on this race for his staff, Uno-X Mobility.
“I broke my collarbone 4 weeks in the past,” Abrahamsen mentioned. “I cried on the hospital as a result of I believed I would not make it to the Tour de France. I hoped, and every single day I did every little thing I might to come back again. To face right here within the Tour de France and have gained a stage is superb.”
Van der Poel was seven seconds behind in third, whereas the final classification group together with Pogačar and Healy completed 3:28 again.
Healy, solely the fourth Irish rider ever to carry the yellow jersey, leads by 29 seconds over Pogačar.
After the primary relaxation day Tuesday, Wednesday’s stage was a 97.4-mile loop from Toulouse again to the southern “Pink Metropolis” with views of the Pyrenees. It was anticipated to swimsuit the sprinters, although there was a sting close to the top with a 20% incline on the Côte de Pech David earlier than the end.
Abrahamsen attacked almost from the beginning and was joined by Schmid and Davide Ballerini, prompting persistent assaults from the likes of Van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Victor Campenaerts. Finally all their efforts had been in useless.
“It is a loopy stage, guys,” the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale staff riders had been instructed over their radios, “A loopy stage. Keep targeted.”
The main target now shifts to Thursday’s Stage 12, which brings the Tour’s first high-mountain showdown with a summit end on the legendary Hautacam.
The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
