Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) finally won his first stage on Le Tour while also seizing the yellow jersey away from Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) with dominating attack on Col du Granon in Stage 11 of the Tour de France. Pogacar cracked due to the heat and vicious ascent of Granon in the French Alps, and the defending champion finished the stage in seventh place. Pogacar lost the overall lead and now finds himself in third, 2:22 behind Vingegaard.

A drained yet exhilarated Jonas Vingegaard secures his first-career stage victory in the Tour de France in Stage 12 at Col du Granon. (Image: Getty)

We expected the first true alpine stage in the 2022 tour would produce fireworks, and the action on Wednesday didn’t disappoint. UAE Team Emirates is shorthanded after riders tested positive for COVID, so Pogacar was left to defend the yellow jersey by himself after securing it with a win in Stage 6 Longwy.

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 4:18:02
2. Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) +0:59
3. Romain Bardet (DSM) +1:10

The stage began in the former Olympic village of Albertville and included two HC category ascents of Col du Galibier and Col du Granon, which tortured riders with steep climbs of 11.3 km with a gradient of 9.2%. It marked the first time since 1986 that the peloton was challenged with the Col du Granon. Race organizers kept it out of the route for the past 25 years because the nightmarish Granon is simply too difficult.

Stage 11: Albertville > Col du Granon Serre Chevalier

Jumbo-Visma rattled a solo Pogacar with red-zone attacks with over 60 km to go, but that group was 5:30 behind the breakaway. Pogacar tried to fend off the attacks from the front, but the expended energy cost him dearly when he zonked on the ascent of Granon.

“We wanted to attack from far, we wanted to try with Primoz (Roglic), and I think that shows again how big a rider Primoz is,” said Vingegaard. “He was up for this plan, he really fought for it, and he went deep so we could challenge Pogacar.”

Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) and Romain Bardet (DSM) attacked on the grueling ascent where the gradient got as high as 10%. Vingegaard waited until under 5 km to the finish line before making his move. When Vingegaard attacked, Geraint Thomas (Ineos) followed and Pogacar was left behind. Both riders had to look back multiple times because they couldn’t believe that Pogacar actually got dropped.

Vingegaard looked like he got stronger as he approached the summit finish. He quickly chased down Quintana and won his first-ever stage on the most difficult day in this year’s tour.

“I was getting energy from hearing that the gap was growing, but it was also a really brutal climb, and I was suffering a lot and I just wanted it to be over,” said Vingegaard.

Pogacar finished 2:51 after Vingegaard and behind Quintana, Bardet, Thomas, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), and Adam Yates (Ineos).

“I was suffering until the end,” said Pogacar. “It was not the best day. We’ll see tomorrow if I can do better.”

Map of Stage 11 of the 2022 Tour de France. (Image: LeTour.com)

Preview Stage 12: Briancon > Alpe D’Huez

Stage 12 is a 165 km ride from Briancon to Alpe D’Huez with three more punishing HC climbs, including Col Du Galibier, Col de la Croix de Fer, and Alpe D’Huez. The peloton will make the most iconic climb of the tour with Alpe D’Huez, which is a terrifying beast with a steep 8% ascent via 13.8 km of windy roads and switchbacks.

If you thought Stage 11 had a ton of fireworks, just wait for the action in Stage 12 at Alpe D’Huez. Expect a handful of French riders – Bardet, Gaudu, or Thibout Pinot – to attempt to win the stage for their home country on Bastille Day. Meanwhile, Vingegaard will be tested during his first day in the yellow jersey, as Pogacar tries to make up 2:22 in time.

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 41:29:59
2. Romain Bardet (DSM) +2:16
3. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +2:22
4. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) +2:26
5. Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) +2:37

After winning Stage 11, Vingegaard is the new leader and holds a 2:16 edge over Bardet in second place. Pogacar tumbled to third and is 2:22 behind with many tough stages ahead, including the Pyrenees next week. Thomas remains in fourth place, but he’s now 2:26 back. After a second-place finish in Stage 11, Quintana moved into fifth place and is 2:37 behind Vingegaard.

Vingegaard is now -330 odds as the new favorite to win the 2022 Tour de France. Pogacar is +300 odds as the second favorite on the board at DraftKings. Thomas and Bardet are both +2000 odds.

Check out more coverage of the 2022 Tour de France.