Photography by Cor Vos, Jered & Ashley Gruber, Kristof Ramon
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) took his second stage win at the 2016 Tour de France in Montpellier on Wednesday with the maillot jaune of Chris Froome (Team Sky) finishing second, as the peloton shattered in the crosswinds in the finale of the stage.
Sagan won the stage from a group of four; he was joined by teammate Maciej Bodnar, while Froome was supported by teammate Geraint Thomas. The four riders jumped clear from a splintered peloton with 10km remaining, and opened a maximum gap of 23 seconds. They finished six seconds ahead of the peloton, with Froome taking six seconds in time bonus for finishing second on the stage.
“To go in a breakaway with the yellow jersey, the green jersey, and guys like Bodnar and Thomas, you cannot plan that,” Sagan said. “It just happens. Crazy.”
Froome said after the stage, “I was asking myself the question today in those last 10km of whether it was worth spending that energy. I think in this moment I really am going to try and take any advantage I can get, especially knowing that Nairo (Quintana) in particular is really strong in the third week.”
Read the full stage 11 race report, highlight video and results here.
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- Race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky) before the start of a tough, but successful day battling the crosswinds. Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
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- The UCI has cracked down on mechanical doping in 2016 and are testing bikes every day at the Tour. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com
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- Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) is still searching for his first Tour stage win of 2016. He won four stages at the 2015 Tour. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Fortuneo-Vital Concept has a Mondrian-inspired paint scheme for their Look team bikes. Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Leigh Howard (IAM) and Arthur Vichot (FDJ) made up the breakaway of the day, though they were caught far from the finish by a peloton speeding along through the crosswinds. Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Sagan (center) bided his time, waiting for the crosswinds to split the group. Photo: Gruber Images
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- Froome helped drive the late breakaway along with Sagan, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), and Marceij Bonar (Tinkoff), in hopes of gaining time over his GC rivals. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Five-time Tour champion Bernard “The Badger” Hinault remains a staple on the Tour. Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Sagan was all in for the breakaway at the end of Stage 11. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Photo: Leon Van Bon / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
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- Sagan triumped in Montpellier, as Froome checked how much time he had gained over his rivals. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Edward Theuns (Trek Segafredo) was one of many riders to hit the tarmac on stage 11. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Despite being in the early breakaway, Howard’s job didn’t end at the finish. The rider went live with Australian TV right after he finished, alongside Mike Tomalaris of SBS and three-time green jersey champ Robbie McEwen (right). Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Two thumbs up for two stage victories for Sagan at the 2016 Tour. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Fabian Cancellara (Trek – Segafredo) just missed the winning break on Stage 11. He was on directly behind Geraint Thomas, the last rider to bridge to the winning break, when the move went up the road. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Mark Cavendish’s (Dimension Data) day did not go to plan, as a mechanical caused him to be dropped late in the stage. Photo: Kristof Ramon
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- Frenchman Warren Barguil (Giant – Alpecin) may look to shine on Thursday, as the Tour tackles Mont Ventoux on Bastille Day. Photo: Cor Vos
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- Sagan stretched his lead in the points classification to 90 points after stage 11. Photo: Cor Vos
