Tour de France Stage 11 preview: A day for the breakaway in the Massif Central
The rough, rugged terrain of the Massif Central should provide an opportunity for the breakaway on the middle stage of the 2024 Tour de France.
After a relatively placid return to racing after the rest day, the fight to get up the road could be fierce on Stage 11 with six categorised tests sure to examine the climbing legs of the peloton.
A 211km route will take the Tour from Evaux-les-Bains to the mountain resort of Le Lioran, with bonus seconds on offer at the top of the penultimate climb, the Col de Pertus (4.5km at 8.2%), about 20 kilometres from the finish.
The toughest ascent of the day comes 15 kilometres earlier though, with the second category Col de Neronne (3.9km, 8.6%) followed swiftly by the Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol.
The 5.3km first category climb averages a relatively kind 7.8%, but the final ramp steepens significantly to 13.4% and could sap already weary legs on a long day of racing.
With stiffer Pyrenean and Alpine days to come, it may be that the general classification action is limited as Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic save themselves for the high mountains — though with both Pogacar and Evenepoel critical of Vingegaard’s riding style after Stage 9, perhaps the uber-attacking pair will look to test the defending champion again.
While any fringe contenders will be marked, it is likely a large group of climbers and hardier puncheurs will be allowed to escape.
Teams without live GC interest still chasing a first win of the Tour are likely to be prominent — look for the vibrant pink jerseys of EF Education EasyPost, tactical bafflers Movistar and the curiously quiet Groupama FDJ to try to animate affairs.
Stage 11 map and profile
Start time
The neutralised rollout will start at 10.20am BST, with racing underway from Evaux-les-Bains ten minutes later. The stage is expected to finish around 4pm BST.
Prediction
EF Education EasyPost’s Ben Healy was prominent on the gravel of Stage 9, but this is much more the Irishman’s preferred terrain. Expect a strong, large breakaway group, though — and potentially a thrilling finish.
