At it happened: GC contenders do battle in the Massif Central
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He’s still in the game. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) came through an arduous stage 11 of the Tour de France with his second place overall still intact despite losing 25 seconds to top favourites Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike). And as the Belgian pointed out, time-wise, the size of his setback was smaller than in the Alps, too.
More on Jonas Vingegaard in our latest story from stage 11 at the Tour de France.
Vingegaard was quite emotional at the finish, saying: “I made it back and started relaying with him, and yeah, bit surprised I could beat him in the sprint. But of course, yeah, it means so much to me. I’m so happy about the victory today. It’s yeah, it’s really, I would never have thought this three months ago.
“Now we can all say that it’s verified that he’s in top shape. He beat me really good on the line. I did a pretty good sprint after that kind of stage. So it was a really tough day, but I enjoyed it, and it was a really beautiful day out there,” Pogačar said about the two-up sprint against Vingegaard.
Roglič shown here crossing the finish line in fourth, giving same time as Evenepoel
Primož Roglič came down with 1.1km to go on the way to the finish line in Le Lioran. Here are some details on his unplanned episode in the chase with Evenepoel.
Some news coming in now – it seems Primož Roglič has been reprieved, and been awarded the same time as Remco Evenepoel. His crash came within the final 3km, so, despite this not being a sprint stage, so he will only lose 25 seconds to the two leaders, rather than 55.
That was yet another epic battle between the two great Tour de France contenders of their generation, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. Pogačar defends the yellow jersey for now, only conceding one second due to bonus seconds earned earlier in the stage, but this was a victory for Vingegaard, both in terms of the stage win, and the psychological blow of coming back from so far behind to catch his rival on terrain supposedly better suited to him.
Incidentally, Pogačar took enough points to move into the lead of the King of the Mountains classification, but Abrahamsen will still wear the polka-dot jersey tomorrow as the Slovenian sports yellow.
Vingegaard had to dig deep right to the line, but just about had the energy to celebrate after crossing it.
And here’ the updated GC. Despite his losses, Evenepoel just about hangs on to second overall.
Here are today’s stage rankings:
Vingegaard is getting very emotional during the post-race interview, talking about how he got from his crash a few months ago to here. For a man who rearely shows emotion, that must have meant an awful lot to him.
Pogačar must have been tired by the finish, as you’d never normally expect him to lose to Vingegaard in a sprint.
Now comes the next group, being led by Ciccone. He arrives at 1-46, followed by Almieda, Yates and Landa, with Rodríguez distenced by a few seconds at the end.
He reaches the line 55 seconds. That crash cost him about half a minute, and who knows what physical damage?
Now here comes Roglič. The good news he’s back on his bike, the bad news is he stands to lose time.
Evenepoel arrives now, 25 seconds later.
..Vingegaard wins!
Vingegaard goes, and Pogačar is struggling to pass him…
He’s slowed the pace and keeps looking behind him, in anticipation of the sprint.
Vingegaard is being forced to lead out the sprint.
Meanwhile the leaders are approaching the finish, 400 metres to go.
It seems he crashed.
A problem for Roglič, who has had to stop.
Evenepoel has upped the pace on the descent, and Roglič is struggling to hang on to him.
Evenepoel and Roglič reach the top, 30 seconds later. They’ve limited their losses well today.
The two leaders reach the top together. Now, the question is who will win the two-up sprint at the finish? Not only is there is a stage win on offer, there are also more bonus seconds.
Vingegaard is pulling for the final kilometre of this climb. It seems he wants to set a pace fast enough to discourage another Pogačar attack.
Tadej Pogačar in the yellow jersey, before he was caught by Vingegaard.
1km to the top for the two leaders.
5KM TO GO
Pogačar and Vingegaard are now at the official start of the Col de Font-de-Cère, where the gradient kicks up to 5.8% for 3.3km. Is that too shallow for any of them to make a gap with an attack?
With Carlos Rodríguez in the group behind Evenepoel and Roglič are Almeida, Adam Yates, Ciccone and Landa.
They’re both taking turns, but neither seems fully committed.
Pogačar and Vingegaard are on the shallow lower slopes of the final climb now.
Evenepoel and Roglič are the two riders who are 38 seconds behind, while Rodriguez is in a group 50 seconds behind them.
10KM TO GO
Here’s Romain Bardet soaking up the applause of his fan club.
This time, Vingegaard is working with Pogačar. He’s setting the pace on the descent.
Evenepoel and Roglič reach the top of the climb about 45 seconds later, Evenepoel claiming the remaining two bonus seconds.
The two sprint for the bonus seconds, and Pogačar wins it. But that’s a huge morale boost for Vingegaard, given the size of the deficit at the start of the climb.
And he’s caught him! Just a few metres from the top.
Vingegaard is closing him down though, he has him in sight.
Pogačar will really want to still have something of a gap over Vingegaard by the top of the climb. If he’s still out front, he’ll hope to extend his lead again on the descent.
Evenepoel has now caught Roglič. They’re 35 seconds behind Vingegaard, and 50 behind Pogačar.
Still one kilometre left to climb for Pogačar.
There are 20 seconds already between Vingegaard and Roglič, and just 15 now between Pogačar and Vingegaard. Vingegaard is climbing this hill faster than anyone else on the road.
Vingegaard attacks! He’s dropped Roglič, and is motoring up the climb now.
The gap between Pogačar and the 2 chasers appers to be coming down. It’s being reported as 25 seconds.
Now Evenepoel is being dropped by the other two. They are still 33 seconds behind Pogačar.
Evenepoel is also with them both.
Vingegaard has upped the pace again on this climb, and he and Roglič are drifting clear from the rest of the group.
This climb is Col du Perthus, and it’s 4.5km at 8.2%.
Pogačar has now started the next climb, with a lead of 35 seconds over that group.
Just as he did on the Galibier, Rodriguez has flown down this descent, and has led himself, Yates, Almeida, Ciccone and Evenepoel onto the wheels of Roglič and Vingegaard.
Further down the road, there’s a much more relaxed atmosphere on the Puy Mary. Romain Bardet is riding through the section where his fan club has assembled to pay homage to him. He’s being mobbed by fans all along the road!
Meanwhile the Evenepoel group is a further 15 seconds behind.
It’s paying off in terms of his gap – he’s now 21 seconds ahead of Vingegaard and Roglič.
Dodgy moment for Pogačar, who’s bike locks for a split second. He’s taking risks on this descent!
Evenepoel has been caught by the next group on the road, which consists of Rodriguez, Adam Yates, Almeida, Kelderman, Landa and Ciccone.
Pogačar must have had this descent in mind when he decided to attack so early, remembering how much time he gained on Vingegaard on the Galibier.
Roglič has caught Vingegaard, just as he did on the descent of the Galibier during stage four.
30KM TO GO
Now Evenepoel reaches the top, still further adrift.
Pogačar reaches the top of the climb, Vingegaard just 2 seconds behind, Roglič just a few seconds behind him.
Now Vingegaard is dropping Roglič.
Vingegaard and Roglič lead the chase behind, Evenepoel is further behind.
Nobody has followed him.
31.5KM TO GO
There are only ten riders left in the peloton: Adam Yates, Almeida, Pogačar, Roglič, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Landa, Rodriguez, Ciccone, and a Visma-Lease a Bike rider (either Jorgenson or Kelderman).
That’s it Healy is caught. The day is over for the breakaway.
Lazkano is caught, as was Carapaz earlier, leaving Healy as the last man out front.
Bernal, Mas are also dropped, riding alongside Ayuso.
The peloton is really starting to thin now under the pace of Yates. Hindley, Ayuso, Benoot, Meintjes are all dropped.
Ayuso’s turn didn’t last long, and Yates has taken over.
Sivakov is finished, and Ayuso takes over.
Correction, there are 3 Soudal riders: Ilan Van Wilder is also there for Evenepoel.
While there are 5 UAE riders in the peloton, there are four Vismas (Vingegaard, Benoot, Jorgenson and Kelderman), 2 Boras (Roglič and Hindley), 2 Soudal-QuickSteps (Evenepoel and Landa) and 3 Ineos (Rodriguez, Bernal, De Plus).
Meanwhile a the front, Carapaz hasn’t given up yet, and joined back up with Healy and Lazkano.
Sivakov still leads, and has Ayuso, Almeida and Yates behind him ahead of Pogačar.
And now, one minute later, the peloton start the climb. UAE Team Emirates are bound to set a fierce pace – and will this also be where Pogačar makes his move?
Healy and Lazkano have started climbing Puy Mary. This is the hardest climb of the day, averaging a painful 7.9% for 5.3km.
Pogačar now has a fourth teammate with him, in Juan Ayuso. The Spaniard was hanging towards the back of the peloton on the climb, but is back at the front again, and doesn’t appear to be suffering.
40KM TO GO
Carapaz crests it 30 seconds later, followed by Onley and Bernard a bit further down, and then the UAE-led peloton 1-30 later.
Healy reaches the top of the climb first to take maximum points, with Lazkano on his wheel.
Healy has caught Lazkano, 500 metres from the top of the climb.
Pogačar might have three teammates with him, but Vingegaard is also well-protected, with Jorgenson, Benoot and it seems another Visma-Lease a Bike rider still with him.
Healy has now been given the go-ahead to ride away from Carapaz, and is only a few seconds away from Lazkano.
Back out front, Carapaz has bridged up to Healy, and together are chasing Lazkano.
Lots of riders being dropped out the peloton now, including Barguil and Bardet, two of the many riders who tried to get into the day’s break.
Sivakov, Yates and Almeida are the three teammates with Pogačar
UAE Team Emirates have taken over control of the peloton again on the climb, with three men ahead of Pogačar.
Lazkano drops Healy.
However, they are now only 55 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Lazkano and Healy have gone clear from the rest of the break on the climb.
He looks OK, and is back up, but is needing to fix his bike before he can continue.
Van Aert was leading the peloton for Visma-Lease a Bike on the run-in to the climb, and overshot a corner.
A crash in the peloton, and it’s Wout van Aert.
The break have just started the climb.
More riders are now contributing to the pace-setting in the peloton, with Soudal-QuickStep forming a train next to the UAEs. For the latter, Wellens is done and dropped, and Marc Soler is now leading the line.
50KM TO GO
Martin and Onley are also recognised primarily as climbers, but the punchy nature of these climbs might instead suit a rider like Grégoire or Lapeira.
On paper, Carapaz is the strongest climber, though will he be fatigued from all of his efforts earlier, when he was the main instigator for forming this group in the first place?
It’s still two minutes between the break and the peloton. We can expect the former group to start breaking on the upcoming hill, as the superior climbers up the pace in a bid to hold off the peloton and win the stage.
The riders are ascending gradually, as they approach the official start of the category two Col de Neronne. This one sets the tone for the hills to come, in that it’s short (3.9km), but steep (8.7%).
UAE Team Emirates are showing the benefits of having top classics specialists for domestiques on terrain like this. All on their own, Tim Wellens and Nils Politt have managed to control the gap, meaning climbing domestiques Marc Soler and Pavel Sivakov can be kept in reserve.
60KM TO GO
Decathlon are getting anxious in the break. Armirail is at the front, and has notably increased the pace, with the riders at the back having to strain not to get dropped.
70KM TO GO
Tim Wellens and Nils Politt are the two UAE riders doing all the work. They are holding back their climbing domestiques for later.
UAE Team Emirates leading the peloton at a steady pace, as they have been for several kilometres now.
This unclassified rise is hard enough for some riders to be dropped out of the peloton, including Biniam Girmay in the green jersey.
80KM TO GO
Here’s the break of the day earlier, back when they were trying to secure a lead over the peloton. You can see from their expressions how hard they had to go.
90KM TO GO
UAE Team Emirates are certainly riding like a team that doesn’t want to ive the break too much leeway. They’ve already brought the gap down to under two minutes.
The lull in proceedings has given Kobe Goossens a chance to drop back and get more help from the medical car. He’s badly bashed up from his crash earlier, but still present in the peloton.
100KM TO GO
For the first time all day, things are relaxed out there. The peloton are content to let this break maintain a lead for now, and we don’t have another climb for about another 55km.
The coming together of the groups means EF are no longer the only team with two men at the front. Decathlon AG2R now…
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