Result: GERMANY’S TONY MARTIN won today’s 11th stage, an individual time-trial from Avranches to Mont-Saint-Michel, but the headlines go to Chris Froome who took a massive step towards the yellow jersey by finishing second.
How it happened: It happened according to the script. Two-time world time trial champion Tony Martin won today’s stage as expected but he was made to sweat by Froome who very nearly snatched a surprise win at the last.
Wearing the yellow jersey, the Team Sky rider was the final rider to attempt to overhaul Martin. By the time he rolled off the ramp nobody else had managed to come within a minute of the German’s time of 36’29″ but Froome hared out of the traps and was quicker at both the first and second splits.
He couldn’t keep up the pace and eventually finished 12 seconds slower but his time of 36’41″ was still far quicker than his main GC rivals as he stretched his lead over Alejandro Valverde by a full two minutes.
The big winner: Froome. Barring a spectacular implosion when the race returns to the mountain this weekend or a crash, he is now the red-hot favourite to win the Tour.
The big loser: Mark Cavendish. After a controversial crash yesterday followed by a heated press conference, Cav had another bad day with a spectator allegedly throwing urine at him. Taking the piss etc etc.
Who is wearing what jersey?
- Yellow (Overall): Chris Froome
- Green (Points): Peter Sagan
- Polka-Dot (Mountains): Pierre Rolland
- White (Young Rider): Michal Kwiatkowski
What about the Irish? Nicolas Roche clawed back a chunk of the ground he lost in the mountains by finishing 28th, moving back up to 42nd in the GC race. Dan Martin finished 3’36″ behind his namesake Tony in 62nd place and is now 13th overall.
What happens tomorrow then? Another one for the sprinters as the peloton hits a 218-kilometre flat stage from Fougères to Tours.
