Tour de France stage 11 Live - Pogacar cracks on the Col du Granon

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All the action as the stage finishes atop the 9% Col du Granon

Stage 11 profile

(Image credit: ASO)

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Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 11 of the 2022 Tour de France.

The riders are signing-on in Albertville for one of the biggest stages of the 2022 Tour de France. 

It's another hot day in the Alps with Jumbo-Visma even signing on in ice-vests. 

This is what the riders face today.

Magnus Cort ands his EF teammates are last at sign-on and get a huge cheer. 

To read our full stage report and see our photo gallery, click below.

We're five minutes from the official roll-out. 

Tadej Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates squad was the last to sign on. 

The four jersey wearers plus stage winner Cort and the Combatif winner Bettiol line-up at the front of the start grid. 

C'est parti! They're off. 

They still have to ride 7km until the flag drops.

No matter what happens on the Col du Granon in the Tour de France, to race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) or his closest pursuers Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), the Col du Granon already has its permanent place in the race's history.

It's definitely the hardest mountain stage so far of the 2022 Tour, after all, and equally unquestionably – together with the ascent to Alpe d'Huez the following day and the Hautacam in the third week – one of the three hardest of the entire race. If Pogacar gets through in yellow and without he or his team showing any weakness, the odds of him retaining it till Paris in 10 days time will be considerably higher.

To prepare for the stage, read Alasdair Fotheringham's detailed preview, which has details of all the day's climbs and comments from  Eduardo Chozas, the Spanish stage victor that day in 1986, the only time the Tour has finished at the summit. 

The opening 45km are on flat valley roads. 

Allez! 

And the first ridere to attack? 

Van Aert and van der Poel but other riders are chasing hard. 

WVA+MvdP lead the peloton by 15 seconds.

The gap is up to 25 seconds. 

140km to go

Several teams are trying to inspire a chase but the gap is rising.

There's a group of six chasers who are working together to catch van Aert and van der Poel. 

No sprint up front with van Aert leading van der Poel over the line. 

The six chasers are at 30 seconds, with the peloton at 40 seconds.

As the riders would say, it's a 'super fast' start to the stage.

130km to go

Here are two Tour de France bardoureurs. 

Tom Pidcock is at his Ineos team car with an apparent radio problem.   

The race is perhaps coming back together after the sprint. We can perhaps expect a new break to form very soon.    

Mattia Cattaneo of QuickStep is trying to close the gap on van Aert and van Poel. 

120km to go

We have a group of 20 chasers and others just behind them. 

Jumbo are trying to go in the attack with Benoot and another rider.

There are now 20 riders in the attack and their gap is opening again. 

The GC teams seem to have been told there are no danger riders in the attack and are easing the chase. 

115km to go

Warren Barguil (Arkéa Samsic) is the best placed rider in the GC. He is 26th at 13:33. 

Behind, the peloton has eased, with riders taking on bidons and ice-packs and taking natural breaks.

Marc Hirschi and Mikkel Bjerg are riding on the front of the peloton. 

The gap is up to over 3:00. 

This is the profile of the Lacets de Montvernier but it does not show the real beauty of the hillside road. 

This was the climb in 2018. 

The break is on the Lacets de Montvernier now. 

The road is narrow and twisting but not too steep.  

The peloton starts the  Lacets de Montvernier at 4:00, the GC riders trying to be up front for the narrow road. 

The attack by van Aert and van der Poel meant the riders raced at 48.7km/h for the first hour.

Indeed the pace and the Lacets de Montvernier is hurting van der Poel. He has been dropped.  

What a wonderful climb says Giovanni Battistuzzi in Italian.

100km to go

Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) was first the top of the Lacets de Montvernier. He scored 5 points.  

The peloton are 4:30 back and also grab musettes and bidons.

Sadly Oliver Naesen (AG2R Citroën) has abandoned the race. The French team has now lost 3 riders, including team leader Ben O'Connor. 

The peloton crosses the summit of the Lacets de Montvernier at 4:50. 

95km to go

With van der Poel dropped. these are the 19 riders in the break of the day. 

The temperatures are high in the valley as the race heads to the double-whammy of the Col du Télégraphe and the Col du Galibier. 

The climbs start after 72km, with 79km to race and all in the mountains.

This is the scary and very long profile of the two climbs. 

85km to go

The peloton is timed at 7:45 behind the 19 attackers. 

This is the climb to come. 

The break is now on the Col du Télégraphe and the pace is already spitting several riders out of the back.

The first-category Col du Télégraphe, climb leads up to the Col du Galibier but it's no easy task itself. It is 11 kilometres long at 7.1%. 

The Col du Télégraphe snakes up through the trees on a fast, wide road and then drops down into the ski resort of  Valloire.

The front group has already split, with just 10 riders up front. 

Behind, Marc Hirschi is dropped. Pogacar has just 4 teammates left to help him. 

These are the 10 riders left up front. 

Riders are falling out of the peloton too. 

Dani Martinez is also dropped. The Colombian had been hoping to fight for GC but has been sick. 

Alasdair Fotheringham spoke exclusively to Ineos lead DS Steve Cummings about Ineos' game plan for the Tour.  

The break is halfway up the Col du Télégraphe, with 5km to go. 

Wout van Aert continues to drive the break up the Col du Télégraphe. 

70km to go

The pace is high but constant on the Col du Télégraphe. 

Attacks!!! 

Jumbo-Visma are on the attack!  

Jumbo-Visma and Jonas Vingegaard up the pace! 

Race on! 

Pogacar responds personally to the attack but the race is exploding behind. 

Latour wins the sprint for the Col du Télégraphe KOM but the race is behind them in the GC group. 

The peloton is 2km from the summit of  the Col du Télégraphe. 

The GC group reach the Col du Télégraphe KOM with Benoot continuing to drive the pace.

Meanwhile the attackers start the Col du Galibier. 

Jumbo attack on the descent to Valloire, with Primoz Roglic going clear.  

That acceleration has cracked the USA's Neilson Powless. 

Roglic is trying to smash the GC peloton.

Five riders are clear from the GC group.

Laporte dropped back from the break and is leading the group down the descent to Valloire to then start the Col du Galibier. 

The attackers lead the peloton by 25 seconds. 

Laporte is dropped as the Col du Galibier starts.  

The GC battle is between Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers).

57km to go

Vongeggard attacks again! 

Thomas responds but then is dropped. 

Thomas is back on but now Roglic surges. 

Pogacar responds and attacks himself! 

They're on the easier lower slopes of the Col du Galibier but it's already mano-a-mano. 

Now Roglic attacks! 

Jumbo are attacking Pogacar time and time again! 

Pogacar is closing down every attack but how long can he do this??

Thomas is following Pogacar and trying to save his legs by not responding to each surge. 

Roglic goes again but Pogacar closes him down. 

55km to go

The Jumbo car comes up to give Roglic and Vingegaard cold bidons and tactical advice. 

Behind Groupama are leading the GC peloton. They're 40 seconds down on the Pogacar attack group. 

UAE play a clever move and Marc Soler manages to surge across to Pogacar. 

Immediately Roglic attacks again!

Behind other riders are dropped from the Gaudu chase group. 

That's a clever move by UAE and Soler. He moves to the front and looks across to Roglic. 

The other GC riders also close the gap. 

UAE also have McNulty in the GC group as the views of the Galibier open up to reveal all its mountain beauty.   

The break is still up the road, with van Aert there for Jumbo. 

Barguil dances away from the rest of the attack as he perhaps targets the KOM jersey.  

Barguil has smashed open the attack. 

There are 20 or so riders in the Pogacar GC group.

UAE have McNulty and Soler to set the pace but the 5 Jumbo riders are packed behind Pogacar. 

More attacks from Jumbo! Roglic goes! 

Pogacar grinds up to him and passes him! 

It's all kicking off yet again.

The pace eases and a group forms. 

They still have 7km to climb on the Col du Galibier. This incredible racing.

Roglic is suffering!

For now Pogacar is still in charge.

46km to go

The two are 4km from the summit of the Galibier. 

Pogacar pushes on, dragging Vingegaard away. 

Thomas is at 25 seconds, Yates at 50.  

Upfront Barguil still leads Geschke by 50 seconds as they fight for the KOM polka-dots.  

45km to go

Steven Kruijswijk is with Bardet and Thomas as they catch Pogacar and Vingegaard. 

Barguil nears the summit of the Galibier. He will win the special Souvenir Henri-Desgrang prize for first to the summit. 

Kruijswijk is dropped from the group as Pogacar closes down Bardet. 

Thomas is also dropped as the altitude hurts and Pogacar sets a hard pace.

Behind the other GC contenders are spread down the road.

And then there are two. Bardet is also distanced as Pogacar and Vingegaard face five more minutes of the climbing.

Wout van Aert is waiting for Pogacar and Vingegaard to help them down the descent and valley road.

Pogacar and Vingegaard go over the top and try to eat before the log descent. 

They are 4:30 down on Barguil. 

There some strong winds at the summit as Roglic, Quintana and Yates pass. 

Barguil comes off the descent of the Galibier and continues down the valley road towards Briancon. 

35km to go

The Pogacar group catches van Aert as the group grows even more.

Van Aert drops back for bidons as the pace eases. It is up to Jumbo to ride to stop other riders getting back on. 

25km to go

Jumbo can afford to do that because they have Kuss, Kruijswijk up front to help Vingegaard.

Van Aert is on the front now and the gap is at 1:10.  

Pidcock is also in the Van Aert/Gaudu group, as is Vlasov. 

Up front the pace has eased. 

Riders opt to take on a final bidon and rest up before the final climb.

The 11.3km Col du Granon starts in 5km. 

This is the Pogacar group: 

There we go. The Gaudu group catch the Pogacar group and blast past. 

The tactical racing between Pogacar, Jumbo and Thomas have helped the likes of Gaudu and Quintana get back on today. 

There are 17 riders in the Pogacar group. 

12km to go

Barguil leads the Pogacar group by 5:00 as he starts the Granon.

Barguil has to pace his effort, he has several minutes to spend o the climb.

Pogacar seem to be having fun. He makes a motorbike acceleration gesture with his hand, as if asking for more gas.

This is the Col du Granon.

The French fans cheer on Barguil.

As van Aert eases up, roglic takes over but Majka also moves up to show UAE's strength. 

The pace is already splitting the GC group. 

Kuss, Roglic and Pidcock are quickly dropped.

10km to go

Quintana seems to be on a mission to try to win the stage. 

Barguil is suffering on the 9% gradient. Rather than dancing on the pedals, he's crawling in pain.

Gaudu has been dropped by Majka's pacing. Kruijswijk has faded too. 

Quintana catches and passes Latour, Geschke and Teuns have already been caught. 

Quintana is only 2:00 down on Barguil with the Pogacar group at 2:15. 

7km to go

Quintana closes to 1:25 down on Barguil.  

Pogacar looks good on Majka's wheel, as does Vingegaard, while Thomas and Yates appear to be suffering. 

6km to go

Quintana is as sphinx but is closing his teammate down. 

Quintana is only 1:00 back, with the group at 1:40.  

Ouch. Barguil has cramps. 

Bardet attacks and Pogacar does not react and chase him.

5km to go

Barguil is suffering massively. He is just 4.5km too far from victory. 

Attack Vingegaard!

The Dane accelerates. Pogacar does not chase but depends on Majka to close.

Vingegaard passes Bardet. 

Pogacar's body language is clear. He cannot respond to the attack.

4km to go

Thomas gaps Pogacar! 

Vingegaard catches Quintana and they're only 30 seconds down on Barguil. 

Vingegaard drops Quintana. 

3km to go

Thomas is suffering but gaining time on Pogacar.

Vingegaard is alonne and out front. 

The Tour de FRance has been turned upside down today. 

Vingegaard's lead is up to 1:30. His GC lead will soon be a minute. 

1.5km to go

Pogacar is lucky to have Gaudu who is also chasing but now he is dropped by them. 

Last Kilometre

Pogacar has his jersey open and his shoulders are weaving as he tries to limit his losses.

Jonas Vingegaard wins the stage on the Col du Granon! 

Now the clock ticks to measure the time gaps. 

Quintana finishes at 1:00

Gaudu is next in at 2:00

Finally here comes Pogacar. He finishes a painful 2:50 down on Vingegaard.

Vingegaard is tired but heads to the podium area to collect the yellow jersey.

In the GC, Vingegaard leads Bardet by 2:16. 

2:22 is a significant gap to pull back, both physically and mentally.

Here's Vingegaard in action.

In the podium area, Pogacar offers a sporting and congratulatory handshake to Vingegaard.

Geraint Thomas fought all day and is fourth overall at 2:26. 

How to understand how hard and aggressive the racing was today? 

Now a smiling Roglic and Kuss finish. They celebrate as they cross the line but face some hard work in the days to come. 

Look how deep Vingegaard went to gain time on Pogacar.

This was Vingegaard's moment of triumph. 

It was painful post stage but worth it all. 

Other riders continue to finish as the dust settles on the stage. 

Vingegaard is emotional as he speaks about what is a historic day for him, for Jumbo and for cycling.   

This shot shows Vingegaard's superiority. 

Vingegaard was emotional during the Tour presentation in Denmark and is emotional now on the podium.  

Vingegaard celebrated as he finished.

While this was Pogacar after he finished.

On the podium Vingegaard pulls on the yellow jersey and waves to the crowd. 

He was emotional. 

Vingegaard explained Jumbo-Visma's game plan. 

Vingegaard admitted that he did not expect Pogacar to crack like he did.

Vingegaard made it clear he racing to win the Tour.

However UAE Team Emirates  make it clear they are not surrendering just yet.

Pogacar was also on the podium for the best young rider's white jersey.

Pogacar explained: 

Pogacar praised Jumbo-Visma but made it clear the Tour is far from over. 

Only 27 riders finished within 22 minutes of Jonas Vingegaard today on the Col du Granon. However all the riders managed to finish inside the time limit.

Fabio Jakobsen and his leadout man Michael Morkov finished last at 40:08. 

There are 159 left in the 2022 Tour de France. 

These are the full results,  powered by FirstCycling for Cyclingnews.

It was special moment for Vingegaard to pull on the yellow jersey.

JumboVisma teams Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard celebrates on the podium with the overall leaders yellow jersey after the 11th stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race 1517 km between Albertville and Col du Granon Serre Chevalier in the French Alps on July 13 2022 Photo by AnneChristine POUJOULAT AFP Photo by ANNECHRISTINE POUJOULATAFP via Getty Images

(Image credit: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT AFP via Getty Image)

To understand the impact of stage 11 on the overall standings of the Tour de France, click on our special update. 

Here's Vingegaard speaking about taking the yellow jersey. 

Vingegaard went deep with his attack.

To read our full stage report and see our growing photo gallery of all the action and the full results, click below. 

Cyclingnews journalists Barry Ryan, Alasdair Fotheringham and Daniel Ostanek are on the ground in the Alps and have spoken to the riders and teams after what is a historic stage of the Tour de France. 

Tadej Pogacar still went to the Tour de France podium but after stage 11 it was only to take the best young rider's white jersey.

As well as Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma, it was also a good day for Nairo Quintana. 

It was also a good day out for Romain Bardet of Team DSM. 

Roglic and Kuss were part of the attacks and worked for Vingegaard and so also celebrated as they crossed the line.

Simon Geschke raced his 200th day at the Tour de France and kept the polka-dots for another day. 

Geraint Thomas proved to be Ineos Grenadiers best rider. He went with the Jumbo-Visma attacks, matching Pogacar over the  Galibier and then distanced him to finish third on the stage.

To read or full stage report and see our 50-image photo gallery of all the action, plus the full results, click below. 

Thanks for joining our full live coverage of stage 11 of the Tour de France, we'll be back on Thursday will full coverage of stage 12 up to L'Alpe d'Huez. 

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