Paris [France], July 18: Stage 11 of the Tour de France delivered high drama and sportsmanship, as Tadej Pogacar narrowly avoided losing time in the general classification after a late crash—thanks to the goodwill of his GC rivals—while Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) powered to a memorable stage win.
The 100-mile stage, beginning and ending in Toulouse, saw early aggression and an eventual breakaway led by Abrahamsen, Mauro Schmid (Jayco Alula), and Davide Ballerini (Astana XDS). The trio was later joined by Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), forming a five-man lead group that managed to fend off a relentless chase.
Among those in pursuit were big names like Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Quinn Simmons, but lack of cohesion in the chase allowed the breakaway to hold their advantage. As the peloton fragmented, chaos unfolded when riders from Groupama-FDJ attacked during an informal pause in hostilities, prompting unexpected moves from even yellow jersey holder Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and other GC contenders.
Near the stage’s end, disaster nearly struck for Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who was taken down after Uno-X’s Tobias Johannessen clipped his front wheel during a sharp swerve. The crash occurred outside the protective 3km zone, meaning Pogacar would have lost time. However, in a notable show of sportsmanship, Healy and other contenders neutralized the race momentarily, allowing Pogacar to rejoin the GC group.
Meanwhile, at the front, Jonas Abrahamsen launched a late solo attack with Schmid close behind. Despite Van der Poel’s best efforts to close the gap, the duo held on, with Abrahamsen taking the win by a narrow margin after a well-timed sprint setup by Schmid.
Adding to the day’s tension, a protester attempted to disrupt the finish in protest of Israel-Premier Tech’s presence in the race, but was quickly intercepted by a vigilant race staff member.
The victory was especially emotional for Abrahamsen, who had broken his collarbone just four weeks earlier during the Belgium Tour.
“I was crying because I thought I wouldn’t ride the Tour de France,” Abrahamsen said. “The day after [the crash], I was on the trainer. Every day, I did everything I could to come back. To win a stage is amazing.”
Stage 11 not only delivered a surprise winner but highlighted the unpredictable spirit of the Tour—with its unspoken rules, fierce rivalry, and occasional acts of respect.