Tour de France Stage 11 - Late break stuns the sprinters

One for the sprinters, they said. Breakaways will be futile, they said. As it turns out, Peter Sagan and Chris Froome are above conventional wisdom. But more on that later, as first we'll look at Andy's tweets from the stage, bringing the info as only he can.

The winds are blowing strong and, for once, that's on the roads and nothing to do with the Jalfrezi I had last night. #tdf #TDF2016

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Talking of breaking and and wind, there's a breakaway of two riders up the road - Arthur Vichot and Leigh Howard. #tdf #TDF2016

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Those two are 4'10" ahead of the peloton, with about 94km to go. #tdf #TDF2016

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

The peloton was in no mood for letting that break stay, as they worked on closing the gap swiftly.

A big push at the front of the peloton has split the group. There's now a 40" gap between the two. #tdf #TDF2016

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

The high pace of the peloton has seen the leaders' advantage drop to 1'47" with 77.7km to go. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

That group that got gapped by the peloton had to keep the pace up to claw back the gap, but soon they did and everything was fine again.

Most of the peloton is back together, but a small group including Michael Matthews are still trying to battle back. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

I've done it again, haven't I? Big splits and echelons forming, splitting the group once more. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

The Curse of Steel strikes again. Movistar were having great fun tweeting about the echelons (or abanicos in their native Spanish), and Andy was getting in on the action too.

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S#TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/DJrTThuAa8

— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) July 13, 2016

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— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Sky weren't playing games, however, keeping up a hectic pace and shattering what remained of the peloton in the crosswinds.

35km/h crosswinds and the lightening pace are making this one hell of a flat stage. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Sky setting such a pace that it's already knackered Kiryienka, who's had to drop back. We're not even at the intermediate sprint yet! #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

That intermediate sprint was predictably between Kittel, Sagan and Cavendish, who finished in that order, saving themselves from expending too much effort for the expected sprint finish. Two teams had other ideas, however.

Tinkoff going hard at the front and this turn is splintering the group! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Froome sees an opportunity to distance Quintana by trying to latch onto Sagan's wheel and create a gap with Thomas! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Normally an attack close to the line would be caught again by the sprinters, but a combination of it being four very strong riders (Sagan, Bodnar, Froome and Thomas) and the much-maligned Etixx-QuickStep not bothering chasing them down (read my thoughts on them here) meant they got about 20 seconds clear and stayed there, as Quintana was marooned at the back of a very strung out peloton.

And Cav screaming for a bike change! Disaster for the Manx man. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Cav's mechanical meant that Dimension Data were out of the chase too, and with no Contador to think of, Tinkoff and Sky were working to a mutually satisfactory goal. And it was causing havoc behind them.

5km to go and the race has exploded. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

20" the gap now. Etixx very reluctant to help the chance, for some reason. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

As Millar points out, what's the point in saving for a lead-out if there's not group to lead-out from? #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Towards the last kilometre, even Froome was taking his turn at the front of the breakaway quartet, meaning the chances of a bunch sprint were all but over.

Against all odds, we hit the flamme rouge and there's no need for Ned. Stand down, Lord Stark. #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Thomas leads them out and drops off, before Sagan leads the remaining trio over the line! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Perhaps a slightly more sedate finish to the stage than many were expecting, with just three eventually contesting the win, and even then, it was in the bag for Sagan. Which is off, because as he said last year, winning isn't really his bag. Our man was very impressed with Sky's efforts, too.

The chase was closing, but there's a definite gap. A genius move by Froome that nets him both time and 2nd place in the stage! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Sky are boring? Froome even nets time on a sprint stage! Chapeau! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

And I'll leave it to Sky's number one fan to sign off for the day's highlights.

So, that brings to an end an utterly intense stage. A nice calm one before we hit Ventoux tomorrow, then... See you then! #TDF2016 #tdf

— The Laughing Group (@Laughing_Group) July 13, 2016

Stage results
1. Peter Sagan (TNK) 3:26:23
2. Chris Froome (SKY) + :00
3. Maciej Bodnar (TNK) + :00

General Classification
1. Chris Froome (SKY) 52:34:37
2. Adam Yates (OBE) + :28
3. Dan Martin (EQS) + :31
4. Nairo Quintana (MOV) + :35
5. Bauke Mollema (TFS) + :56

Sprint Classification
1. Peter Sagan (TNK) 309
2. Mark Cavendish (DDD) 219
3. Marcel Kittel (EQS) 212

King of the Mountains
1. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) 80
2. Rafal Majka (TNK) 77
3. Tom Dumoulin (TGA) 58