Jonas Vingegaard Triumphs in Stage 11 Sprint Duel with Pogacar

Jonas Vingegaard clinched victory in stage 11 of the Tour de France, outpacing overall leader Tadej Pogacar in a thrilling sprint finish. Vingegaard riding for Visma-Lease a Bike, surged ahead on the 211km stage to Le Lioran after a challenging route through France’s Massif Central. Pogacar, maintaining the yellow jersey, finished second but extended his lead to one minute and six seconds over third-placed Remco Evenepoel. The Slovenian had earlier broken away with 32km remaining, only to be reeled in by Vingegaard on the penultimate climb.

The victory was particularly emotional for Jonas Vingegaard, who had recovered from a serious crash in April. He tearfully expressed gratitude to his family for their support, reflecting on his journey back to competitive form. Ahead of the stage, Pogacar had suggested Vingegaard was wary of his team’s strength, but Vingegaard’s sprint prowess proved otherwise. The 27-year-old initiated the final sprint, holding off Pogacar to secure the stage win. Among the ‘big four’ contenders, Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic faced challenges.

Evenepoel fell behind briefly but recovered to finish third, while Roglic crashed near the end but retained his position due to the proximity to the finish. British cyclist Mark Cavendish finished well behind the leaders while Fred Wright exited the race after failing to meet the time limit. In the overall standings, Pogacar leads with Evenepoel and Vingegaard following closely. The Tour de France continues with intense competition as riders vie for the coveted yellow jersey.