Le norvégien Waerenskjold remporte la plus rapide étape du Tour de France de l'histoire

Norway's Soren Waerenskjold claimed victory in the 11th stage of the Tour de France, completing the 161-kilometre route from Vichy to Nevers at an average speed of 50.91 km/h, setting a new record for the fastest road stage in the race's 113-year history. The Norwegian, riding for the Uno-X Mobility team, secured his first Grand Tour stage win with a powerful sprint that edged out Dutchman Olav Kooij and Belgian Milan Fretin, who moved up from fourth place due to the disqualification of Jasper Philipsen. Waerenskjold, 26, described the win as “my biggest win so far.” He admitted that while he knows there are a few cyclists faster than him, he believes in his ability to deliver under pressure. “Sometimes, I have really good confidence, and I believe in myself, but there’s many, many times where I feel super tired and it’s impossible to win here,” he said. His performance came after finishing second in the seventh stage to Bordeaux and winning the one-day classic Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last year. The sprint finish was chaotic, with neither the teams nor the sprinters managing to organize a proper sprint train. Dutch rider Kooij’s lead-out rider Cees Bol launched off the front, prompting hesitation among the main contenders. Waerenskjold quickly responded, creating a gap that proved difficult for others to close. Although Kooij and Philipsen managed to catch him near the line, they lacked the strength to overtake him. Belgian Tim Merlier, who had previously won two consecutive sprint stages, finished 14th, marking a notable drop in form. Eritrean Biniam Girmay placed fifth, helping to narrow the gap in the sprinters' green jersey standings. Danish rider Mads Pedersen, leading the classification, saw his advantage reduced to 43 points after Pedersen finished 10th. This marks the second stage win for the Norwegian squad Uno-X Mobility, which joined the UCI World Tour this season. The team previously secured a stage victory with Jonas Abrahamsen last year. They also held the yellow jersey for two stages earlier in the race, with Torstein Traeen at the helm before crashing out with a concussion and fractured ribs. Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar maintained his overall lead, extending his advantage over two-time former winner Jonas Vingegaard to more than three and a half minutes. Pogacar attributed the high speed to the efforts of the breakaway group, noting that the sprint teams needed to maintain a fast pace to catch them. “There was a lot of chance for the breakaway to go to the finish line, and the sprint teams, they control and they need to catch them,” he explained. “Today was a strong breakaway, that’s why the speed has to be high.” The stage began in Vichy, an ancient spa town, with a four-man breakaway setting off early. The group was kept within a minute and 40 seconds of the peloton, though the number was reduced to three when French cyclist Julian Alaphilippe was dropped on a short climb with about 40 kilometres remaining. Anthon Charmig, Mathis Le Berre, and Nelson Oliveira worked together effectively, resisting the inevitable return of the peloton. With just 10 kilometres to go, the race entered its final stretch, with the outcome already decided. The sprinters took their chances, and Waerenskjold’s decisive acceleration sealed his historic triumph.