Stage 11 of the 2025 Tour de France offered plenty of drama, with Jonas Abrahamsen emerging as the unexpected victor in a hard-fought, high-stakes day of racing. The 156.8km stage, from and to Toulouse, saw the Norwegian outpace his breakaway companion Mauro Schmid in a sprint finish, delivering his first-ever Tour de France stage win.
The race began with aggressive moves as riders sought to make their mark, but it was Jonas Abrahamsen who set the stage alight early. Attacking from the gun, Abrahamsen quickly forged a breakaway with Schmid, and the duoโs partnership proved pivotal throughout the day. Soon after, Davide Ballerini and Fred Wright bridged across to form a quartet at the front.
The peloton, while keen to follow, struggled to reel in the breakaway as the leaders established a commanding gap. The first climb of the day, Cรดte de Castelnau-d’Estrรฉtefonds, came early, but the breakaway riders had no intention of easing off. Abrahamsen made his move for the first KOM sprint, taking the points and reinforcing the groupโs commitment to the dayโs plan.
The Peloton Reacts, But the Breakaway Holds Strong
As the stage progressed, the peloton continued to pressure the breakaway, but despite multiple attempts, they were unable to close the gap. Wout van Aert and Jonathan Milan, among others, took turns at the front, trying to rally the chase, but with every surge, Abrahamsen and his companions stayed just out of reach.
By the 100km mark, the break had managed to extend its advantage to over two minutes, a significant gap that allowed the front group to continue to dictate the raceโs pace. Despite the efforts of the peloton, the riders in the breakaway, especially Abrahamsen and Schmid, held firm. As the race entered its final climbs, it became clear that this would be a battle between the breakawayโs resolve and the pelotonโs final push.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Billy CeustersThe Final Climbs: Abrahamsen Attacks with Schmid in Tow
The final 30km of the stage saw the first real signs of attrition, with the pace picking up in the peloton and on the climbs. Abrahamsen, ever the tactician, made his move on the Cรดte de Vielle-Toulouse, a critical moment with just 14.3km remaining. Schmid responded immediately, staying in close contact with the Norwegian. The two leaders were clearly pushing hard, knowing that the finish line was within reach.
Behind them, Van der Poel was beginning to make a charge, closing the gap from the peloton in an effort to catch the two breakaway riders. At this point, the tension was buildingโAbrahamsen and Schmid, weary from a long day at the front, would have to dig deep to hold off the chasers.
The Sprint to the Line: Abrahamsen Holds Off Schmid
With just 200 meters to go, Abrahamsen found an extra burst of energy, powering ahead of Schmid in the final moments to take the win. Schmid, despite his strength throughout the day, was unable to respond in time, and Abrahamsen crossed the line to claim his victory. Mathieu van der Poel, who had been closing fast, finished third, just 7 seconds behind.
Abrahamsenโs triumph was not only a personal victory but a historic one for his team. โI broke my collarbone four weeks ago, in the Belgium Tour,โ Abrahamsen said, reflecting on his incredible recovery. โI was crying in the hospital because I didnโt think Iโd make it to the Tour. To be here and win a stage is just amazing.โ
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Charly LopezA Historic Win for Abrahamsen and Uno-X
For Abrahamsen, this win marked the culmination of a long, difficult journey. The Norwegian riderโs persistence and tactical awareness throughout the day paid off, with his performance serving as a shining example of his grit and resilience. โThis is for the team,โ Abrahamsen continued. โIโve been with Uno-X since 2017, and itโs amazing to see how much weโve grown. Iโm proud to be part of this team, and proud of what weโve achieved today.โ
Abrahamsenโs victory also marked a historic achievement for Uno-X, with the team securing their first-ever stage win at the Tour de France. It was a fitting reward for a team that has worked tirelessly to establish themselves in the Grand Tour scene.
The Stageโs Dramatic Finish: Pogaฤarโs Crash and the Pelotonโs Sportsmanship
While Abrahamsenโs win was the highlight of the stage, the race also featured an unexpected moment of drama. With 4km to go, Tadej Pogaฤar crashed in the final kilometres after a touch of wheels with Tobias Halland Johannessen.. Although Pogaฤar was able to remount and finish with the peloton, the crash caused concern as it happened outside the 3km safety zone.
What followed, however, was a remarkable display of sportsmanship from the peloton. Despite the crash, the GC group slowed to allow Pogaฤar to rejoin, with Ben Healy and his teammates leading the charge to ease up. This gesture of respect ensured that Pogaฤar didnโt lose any time in the overall classification, and he was able to finish the stage without any additional setbacks.
2025 Tour de France Stage 11 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
