Stage 11

The road

At the start

The Giant of Provence, twice

The Tour has never climbed Mont Ventoux twice in one stage, and today it does: the long forested road up from Sault, a descent to Malaucène, then back around and up the bare white Bédoin side before dropping to the line. Pogačar leads O'Connor by 2:01 and the rest by five minutes and more. Mark Cavendish, three stages taken already, stands on 33 career wins here — one short of Eddy Merckx.

How it was won

1. 1100 km to go

   The groups merge before the mountain

   With 100km to go the escape and its chasers come together on the approach to the first ascent of the Géant de Provence, a strong group with a genuine chance of staying away.

2. 277 km to go

   First time up Ventoux

   The gentler road from Sault holds together until Alaphilippe accelerates and splits the break in two. He takes maximum mountain points at the summit; the peloton, still fifty strong, crosses 4:45 down.

3. 334 km to go

   Van Aert goes clear on the Ventoux

   Second time up, from Bédoin, Elissonde attacks and Van Aert answers by riding straight past everyone. Eleven kilometres from the summit, refused a turn, he kicks once more and leaves Elissonde for dead. Within two kilometres he has half a minute; a rider who was sprinting for second place against Cavendish twenty-four hours ago is soloing up Mont Ventoux.

4. 425 km to go

   The first crack in Pogačar

   Above Chalet Reynard, Kwiatkowski's work done, the contenders look at one another until Vingegaard attacks. Kelderman, Lutsenko, Carapaz and Urán go straight out the back. Pogačar follows — and then, a kilometre from the top, cannot hold the wheel. For the first time in this Tour he looks mortal.

5. 522 km to go

   Over the top alone

   Van Aert emerges from the bare white scree at the summit with the stage long since decided, Elissonde and Mollema strung out below him.

6. 6At the line

   Malaucène

   Van Aert wins from the breakaway; Elissonde and Mollema shake hands as they cross together, beaten by something simply stronger. Vingegaard's advantage is wiped out on the descent and Pogačar's lead survives intact.

The result