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Tour De France 2011 Stage by Stage in Review: Historic in Every Sense

Adrian AgiusJun 7, 2018

The 2011 Tour de France proved once again why it is the biggest annual sporting event in the world. Among stunning scenery, controversy, crashes and amazing racing emerged one winner.

Cadel Evans made cycling and Australian history, winning the Tour de France in emphatic fashion. Evans became the first Aussie to win the tour.

The 98th tour will be remembered for years to come, and let us relive all 21 stages, which encapsulated so many people around the world.

Highlights and results from every stage.

Départ!

Stage 1: Passage Du Gois – Mont Des Alouettes

1 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 191.5 km

Stage one saw the traditional prologue replaced with a road race.

A small elevation at the end of the stage allowed Philippe Gilbert take the yellow jersey, but not after a crash which split the peleton earlier on.

Caught in the crash were the likes of Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck and Sammy Sanchez. The pile up occurred after Maxim Iglinsky was knocked over by an over-excited spectator.

And after stage one the GC looked like this:

1 Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Jersey yellow.svgJersey green.svgJersey polkadot.svgJersey yellow number.svgOmega Pharma-Lotto4h 41' 31"
2 Cadel Evans (AUS)BMC Racing Team+ 3"
3 Thor Hushovd (NOR)Garmin-Cervélo+ 6"
4 José Joaquín Rojas (ESP)Movistar Team+ 6"
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) Jersey yellow number.svgOmega Pharma-Lotto+ 6"
6 Geraint Thomas (GBR) Jersey white.svgTeam Sky+ 6"
7 Andreas Klöden (GER)RadioShack" title="Team RadioShack">Team RadioShack+ 6"
8 Rein Taaramäe (EST)Cofidis (cycling team)">Cofidis+ 6"
9 Chris Horner (USA)Team RadioShack+ 6"
10 Tony Martin (GER)HTC-Highroad+ 6"

Stage 2: Les Essarts – Les Essarts

2 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage (Team Time Trial)

Distance: 23 km

Stage two saw the yellow jersey leave the shoulders of Gilbert and move over to the World Champion Thor Hushovd. Garmin Cervelo took the stage four seconds ahead of their nearest rivals.

In terms of the GC, Cadel Evans sat in third place with David Millar equal on time with Thor Husovd, just one second off the Maillot Jaune.

Stage two ended up:

1Garmin-Cervélo24' 48"
2BMC Racing Team+ 4"
3Team Sky+ 4"
4Leopard Trek+ 4"
5HTC-Highroad+ 5"
6Team RadioShack+ 10"
7Rabobank (cycling team)">Rabobank+ 12"
8Saxo Bank-SunGard+ 28"
9Astana (cycling team)">Astana+ 32"
10Omega Pharma-Lotto Jersey yellow number.svg+ 39"

And the GC:

Stage 3: Olonne-Sur-Mer – Redon

3 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 198 km

Stage three saw the first genuinely contested sprint of the 2011 Tour de France.

With a stage free of any serious crashes, each team was able to get a lead out train prepared within the final 20km. In the sprint for the line Tyler Farrar took the honours, paying honour to the death of his friend Wouter Weylandt in the Giro with his celebration.

The final stage rankings:

And the GC:

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Stage 4: Lorient – Mûr-De-Bretagne

4 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 172.5 km

Although stage four was classified as a flat stage by race organisers, the final few kilometres would suggest it was anything but, with attacks from Contador and Van Den Broeck on the final hill of the day.

Nevertheless, it would be the Australian, Cadel Evans, who would come up triumphant, taking the victory on the line from Contador. Remarkably Hushovd held onto his yellow jersey—justifying his place in it.

Stage four finished like this:

And the GC:

Stage 5: Carhaix – Cap Fréhel

5 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 164.5 km

Stage four saw a Janez Brajkovic crash out of the Tour de France with a broken collarbone. The crash made headlines around the world and questioned the safety of the Tour (an issue brought up each year). Along with Brajkovic, Ivan Velasco pulled out of the race due to injury.

Nevertheless, Mark Cavendish went on to win the stage in a bunched sprint. It would prove to be the first of a line of victories in this years' Tour de France.

The sprint finished as follows:

And the GC:

Stage 6: Dinan – Lisieux

6 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 226.5 km

Stage six was a day for the pure sprinter, and, with Mark Cavendish failing to organise his lead out, it was left to team Sky, who timed their run perfectly to the line.

Edvald Boasson Hagen took stage honours ahead of Matthew Goss. Although the GC wasn't really affected by the result, Sky obtained their first victory.

Stage six results:

And the GC:

Stage 7: Le Mans – Chateauroux

7 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 218 km

After the disappointment of stage six, Mark Cavendish was out for revenge, and wasn't it sweet.

The Isle of Man sprinter took line honours ahead of "Ale Jet" Alessandro Petacchi. HTC were in reality unchallenged to the line, their sprint train dominating the standings allowing Cavendish to take his second stage of the tour, and draw ever close to recording the most victories for a sprinter in the history of the Tour de France.

Stage seven Results:

And the GC:

Stage 8: Aigurande – Super-Besse

8 of 21

Profile: Medium Mountain Stage

Distance: 189 km

For the first time in the 2011 Tour a second category climb would be seen in the stage profile. The favourites for the overall classification came out to play with a majority finishing in the top 10 of the stage.

However, the man of the moment proved to be Portugese rider Rui Costa, who finished 12 seconds ahead of Philippe Gilbert. Remarkably, Thor Hushovd held onto the yellow jersey, finishing in the same group as the predicted leaders.

For the first time in 2011 an established time difference was seen in the Tour de France:

And the GC after the first mountains:

Stage 9: Issoire – Saint-Flour

9 of 21

Profile: Medium Mountain Stage

Distance: 208 km

In what was probably the lowest point in the 2011 Tour de France, a number of crashes saw the elimination of a few GC contenders.

Alexander Vinokourov and Jurgen van den Broeck were just two of a long list of withdrawals due to injury. In an act of carelessness, Johnny Hoogerland and Antonio Flecha were knocked off their bikes by a Television filming car.

Amongst the carnage, the peleton dropped the tempo out of respect to the two fallen riders and as a result, the breakaway ran away with the result, seeing Thomas Voeckler take the yellow jersey and Luis Leon Sanchez getting the victory.

A four-minute gap on the road as a result of the breakaway:

The GC recieved a shake up also:

Stage 10: Aurillac – Carmaux

10 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 158 km

The rest day allowed a number of riders to nurse their injuries, and stage 10 saw yet another sprint finish.

This time German sprinter Andre Greipel stormed to victory over Mark Cavendish. A well time sprint saw Greipel move right out of Cavendish's slipstream to comprehensively secure a stage. The first ever for Greipel.

The stage results:

And the GC:

Stage 11: Blaye-Les-Mines – Lavaur

11 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage:

Distance: 167.5 km

With the flat stages slowly coming to an end in the 2011 Tour de France, stage 11 would prove to be a highly contested stage.

The breakaway almost had its way, not being caught until 3km to go. And from there it was HTC who took control, establishing a long lead out train which inevitably saw Cavendish take the stage ahead of Greipel—revenge if you like.

The standings for stage 11:

And the GC:

Stage 12: Cugnaux – Luz-Ardiden

12 of 21

Profile: Mountain Stage

Distance: 211 km

For the sprinters of the Tour, stage 13 was not going to be a pleasant day. However, for the climbers and those in contention for the GC, the racing was only just starting.

By the end of the day it was expected that current leader Thomas Voeckler would lose the yellow jersey to one of the favourites. And how they were wrong.

Voeckler stuck with the leading pack of elite climbers right to the top of the Luz Ardiden. Samuel Sanchez took the stage and moved up the ranks, but the true time made was that which Frank Schleck managed to achieve in an attack just before the line.

Sanchez Tried to recover time lost on the first day:

The big surprise in the GC was Thomas Voeckler:

Stage 13: Pau – Lourdes

13 of 21

Profile: Mountain Stage

Distance: 152.5 km

The second day in the Pyranees saw an unlikely victor by the end of the race. Thor Hunshovd broke away with a leading group. A lack of a chase by the peleton saw the group go clear. Hushovd proved why he was the champion of world cycling, by taking the stage from the fellow riders in the group.

Aside from his World Championship win, Hushovd rates this victory as the greatest of his career. For a sprinter to win a  mountain stages is quite an achievement in any race! The race did, however, see the withdrawal of Radioshack favourite Andreas Kloden due to injury.

Hushovd shocked everyone, including himself:

The effort by Gilbert saw him enter the top 10:

Stage 14: Saint-Gaudens – Plateau De Beille

14 of 21

Profile: Mountain Stage

Distance: 168.5 km

The final day in the Pyranees was tipped to be the final day in yellow for Thomas Voeckler—yet again. However, the rumour that the yellow jersey gives a rider wings was all but confirmed, as the Frenchman matched it pedal for pedal with the favourites for the GC up the Plateau de Beille.

It was ultimately the Belgium rider Jelle Vanendert who took the stage, ahead of Spanish rider Samuel Sanchez. Schleck was seemingly being matched after every attack launched. In an act of defiance, he developed a two second lead from his breakaway group.

The final stage result:

And the GC:

Stage 15: Limoux – Montpellier

15 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 192.5 km

Despite some attempts at late breakaways including one by Philippe Gilbert, sprinters dominated the finish yet again on stage 15, with Mark Cavendish winning his fourth stage of the race ahead of Tyler Farrar and Alessandro Petacchi.

Cavendish and the other sprinters would not see another chance to show their prowess until the famous Champs Elysees sprint finish.

Yet another victory for Cavendish:

And the GC:

Stage 16: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Gap

16 of 21

Profile: Medium Mountain Stage

Distance: 162.5 km

The last of the rest days was over, and it was down to the final part of the tour to decide who would finish in yellow come Paris.

This time around it was the breakaway made up of the only two riders from Norway in the race which succeeded. Thor Hushovd claimed stage victories, but the GC saw movement.

After the final climb of the day, Alberto Contador launched an attack with Samuel Sanchez. After establishing a gap, they were joined by Australian Cadel Evans. Together the three established small gap over their main rivals.

The final results saw Norway do the double:

The GC received a bit of a shake up:

Stage 17: Gap – Pinerolo

17 of 21

Profile: Moutain Stage

Distance: 179 km

It was left to the Alps to sort out the 2011 Tour de France, and the first day in the mountains saw Thomas Voeckler's lead start to dwindle as the climbers in the tour began to assert their dominance.

Remarkably, it was a sprinter who stole the stage victory yet again. After the disappointment of the previous day, Edvard Boasson Hagen took stage honours 40 seconds ahead of any other contender.

With Cadel Evans now sitting in second and Contador seemingly out of contention, the race was finally shaping up.

The race results were as follows:

The GC tightened up at the top:

Stage 18: Pinerolo – Col Du Galibier / Serre Chevalier

18 of 21

Profile: Mountain Stage

Distance: 200.5 km

It was being tipped as the hardest stage of the Tour de France, and it certainly lived up to that. In fact, the stage saw Andy Schleck make and sustain a breakaway of more than two minutes ahead of his brother Frank.

Schleck now had a clear lead at the top of the General Classification. Thomas Voeckler rode exceptionally, and stayed in yellow by 15 seconds ahead of Schleck. Andy showed unbelievable form in his stage victory and was shaping up as the favourite to take the tour.

The stage result:

The General Classification proved to be the closest it ever would be in the 2011 Tour de France:

Stage 19: Modane – L'Alpe D'Huez

19 of 21

Profile: Mountain Stage

Distance: 109.5 km

A stage embraced in history was short, but action packed.

Alberto Contador began the attacks by going for the breakaway on the first climb of the day. The top of the GC went with him until Cadel Evans was stopped on the side of the road due to mechanical problems.

He succumbed to the peleton and lead a phenomenal chase up the Col du Galibier. On the following downhill, the group re-formed to begin the Alp D'Huez together.

The leading group tackled the climb at blistering speeds, and Contador's attack ultimately led to Pierre Roll winning his maiden Tour de France stage.

Thomas Voeckler finally relinquished his yellow jersey to Andy Schleck. With one more competitive stage to go, (GC) Schleck had a 53 second lead over his brother Frank, with Cadel Evans sitting in third place.

Final placings of stage 19:

The GC heading into the 42km ITT

Stage 20: Grenoble – Grenoble

20 of 21

Profile: Individual Time Trial

Distance: 42km

The 2011 Tour de France was decided with a time trial, and what a decisive moment in the history of the Tour it would be.

Tony Martin set the standard, blowing everyone out of the water, including Fabian Cancellara. His time would ultimately go on to win the stage, however, it was the last three riders of the tour who the world would be looking to.

Cadel Evans vs Franks Schleck vs Andy Schleck.

After the first time check, Evans had moved into second and was rapidly closing in on the yellow jersey of Andy Schleck. The second time check confirmed Andy Schleck's worst fears—Evans had taken the lead in the Tour de France.

From there, Evans built upon his new found lead, challenging Martin's time to finish second on the stage, but more importantly first overall.

The result of the only Individual Time Trial of the Tour de France: (First Check, Second Check, Third Check, Final Time)

1 Tony Martin (GER)HTC-Highroad20' 12"40' 26"49' 53"55' 33"
2 Cadel Evans (AUS)BMC Racing Team+ 21"+ 7"+ 2"+ 7"
3 Alberto Contador (ESP) Jersey red number.svgSaxo Bank-SunGard+ 21"+ 42"+ 53"+ 1' 06"
4 Thomas De Gendt (BEL)Vacansoleil-DCM+ 25"+ 38"+ 1' 06"+ 1' 29"
5 Richie Porte (AUS)Saxo Bank-SunGard+ 1' 02"+ 1' 03"+ 1' 24"+ 1' 30"
6 Jean-Christophe Péraud (FRA)Ag2r-La Mondiale+ 47"+ 1' 13"+ 1' 26"+ 1' 33"
7 Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Jersey polkadot.svgEuskaltel-Euskadi+ 44"+ 1' 08"+ 1' 19"+ 1' 37"
8 Fabian Cancellara (SUI)Leopard Trek+ 30"+ 1' 02"+ 1' 29"+ 1' 42"
9 Peter Velits (SVK)HTC-Highroad+ 34"+ 1' 29"+ 1' 46"+ 2' 03"
10 Rein Taaramäe (EST)Cofidis+ 43"+ 1' 26"+ 1' 50"+ 2' 03"

The GC was finally decided and tradition would say that this is how it would look in Paris

Stage 21: Creteil – Paris (Champs-Élysées)

21 of 21

Profile: Flat Stage

Distance: 42.5 km

The final stage of the Tour de France interests even those who do not follow cycling around the world. In what could be described at the most scenic sporting venue in the world, Paris certainly puts on a show for the millions of viewers world wide.

On the way into the finish, the peleton enjoys a few glasses of champagne, photos, a good chat and an easy ride after 21 days of world class racing.

Stats would say that every time Mark Cavendish has riden into Paris, he has finished victorious. This time around that was no different, as Cavendish prevailed yet again to claim the green jersey and the stage victory taking his total to twenty Tour de France victories.

The final stage of the tour:

The GC for the 2011 Tour de France:

The Green jersey points competition:

The Polka Dot, King of the Mountains jersey:

The Young Riders white jersey

1 Pierre Rolland (FRA) Jersey white.svgTeam Europcar86h 23′ 05″
2 Rein Taaramäe (EST)Cofidis+ 0′ 46″
3 Jérôme Coppel (FRA)Saur-Sojasun+ 7′ 53″
4 Arnold Jeannesson (FRA)FDJ+ 10′ 37″
5 Rob Ruijgh (NED)Vacansoleil-DCM+ 22′ 21″
6 Rigoberto Urán (COL)Team Sky+ 32′ 05″
7 Geraint Thomas (GBR)Team Sky+ 50′ 05″
8 Robert Gesink (NED)Rabobank+ 54′ 26″
9 Cyril Gautier (FRA)Team Europcar+ 1h 17′ 00″
10 Andrey Zeits (KAZ)Astana+ 1h 21′ 05″

The Team Classification:

1Garmin-Cervélo Jersey yellow number.svg258h 18′ 49″
2Leopard Trek+ 11′ 04″
3Ag2r-La Mondiale+ 11′ 20″
4Team Europcar+ 41′ 53″
5Euskaltel-Euskadi+ 52′ 00″
6Team Sky+ 58′ 24″
7Team Katusha+ 1h 09′ 39″
8Saxo Bank-SunGard+ 1h 16′ 12″
9FDJ+ 1h 30′ 16″
10Cofidis+ 1h 47′ 29″

Combativity Award: Jeremy Roy

Arivee'

Bring on the Tour de France 2012!

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