Pogacar survives crash to keep TdF defense alive

Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen attacked from the start and won the 11th stage of the Tour de France while race favorite Tadej Pogačar crashed near the finish Wednesday.

Pogačar, the three-time champion, crashed with about 2.5 miles remaining. His rivals for the general classification slowed down so he could get back on his bike and rejoin them. He was able to reattach his chain, and his bike was otherwise undamaged.

He thanked the group after crossing the finish line apparently unhurt and without losing time.

"I'm quite OK, a bit beaten up, but we've been through worse days, so it's been a hectic day actually from start to finish," Pogačar told reporters. "In the end, I had a little bit of a crash, and thanks to the peloton in front, they actually waited. Obviously the race was more or less over back there, but still, they could have taken time.

"Really big respect to everybody in front. Thanks for your support, guys."

Ben Healy, who retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, said he had a brief chat with two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard, seen as Pogačar's main rival for the title, and both agreed they should wait for the Slovenian cyclist.

Abrahamsen beat Swiss rider Mauro Schmid in a photo finish in a final sprint after Belgian-born Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel made a late push to catch them. It was the Norwegian rider's first stage win at the Tour and the first in this race for his team, Uno-X Mobility.

"I broke my collarbone four weeks ago. I cried at the hospital because I thought I wouldn't make it to the Tour de France," Abrahamsen said. "I hoped, and every day I did everything I could to come back. To stand here in the Tour de France and have won a stage is amazing."

Van der Poel was 7 seconds behind in third, while the general classification group including Pogačar and yellow jersey-holder Ben Healy finished 3:28 back.

Healy, only the fourth Irish rider ever to hold the yellow jersey, leads by 29 seconds over Pogačar.

After the first rest day on Tuesday, Wednesday's stage was a 97.4-mile loop from Toulouse back to the southern "Pink City" with views of the Pyrenees. It was expected to suit the sprinters, though there was a sting near the end with a 20% incline on the Côte de Pech David before the finish.

Abrahamsen attacked nearly from the start and was joined by Schmid and Davide Ballerini, prompting persistent attacks from the likes of Van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Victor Campenaerts. Ultimately all their efforts were in vain.

"It's a crazy stage, guys," the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team riders were told over their radios, "A crazy stage. Stay focused."

The focus now shifts to Thursday's stage 12, which brings the Tour's first high-mountain showdown with a summit finish on the legendary Hautacam.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.