Arvesen Sprints to Win Stage Eleven of the Tour de France

Kurt-Asle Arvesen celebrates his close victory in Stage Eleven of the 2008 Tour de France. (Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images)

At the base of Col de Portel, the lead group was composed of Kurt-Asle Arvesen (CSC), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), Alexandre Botcharov and Dmitriy Fofonov (Credit Agricole), Martin Elmiger (AG2R), Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner), Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank), Marco Velo (Milram), Benoît Vaugrenard (Francaise des Jeux), Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) and Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouyges Telecom). 

It appeared at this point that the breakaway would succeed, and that the yellow jersey would certainly change shoulders. Silence-Lotto led the peloton, but with the break fifteen minutes ahead after the first five km of the Col de Portel the peloton would need a huge effort to run down the break.

This breakaway group contained some very good riders, well capable of winning the stage.

Moinard Makes His Move

Amaël Moinard attacked halfway up the climb, possibly hoping to win the stage, but the rest of the attack stayed together to gain maximum advantage over the peloton. A few minutes later Oscar Pereiro attacked, perhaps trying to take the yellow jersey, but Garmin Chipotle and Silence-Lotto kept the peloton moving at a strong steady pace.

Silence-Lotto showed great strategy, holding together and not panicking; a team of experienced riders, they knew that only an organized chase had a chance, and that the time was not ripe for a counterattack. Instead, Silence-Lotto formed a line across the front of the peloton, pushing the pace and supporting one another.

Moinard topped the Col almost two minutes ahead of the breakaway; it was just possible that he could hold on and win the stage. After 20 km of tricky, narrow, high-speed descent of the final 57 km, Moinard would still have forty km of tough road to ride, including a Cat Three climb.

Cooperation was the name of the game in the breakaway. If they worked as a unit, they could run down Moinard. If they tried too many tactics, holding back to force someone else to exert, the break could spend its energy sparring and not catch Moinard.

Team CSC took over driving the peloton, possibly trying to reel in Pereiro, lifting the pace even higher than Silence-Lotto had set it, dropping many riders and spreading out the peloton. Cadel Evans lost some of his Silence-Lotto support.

The Sprint

With 20 km to go, the breakaway began picking up the pace to catch Moinard. With 4 km to go, the break caught Moinard, and Martin Elmiger Kurt-Asle Arvesen attacked. Ballan joined the lead group; then Arvesen attacked, draining Alessandro Ballan.

With 300 meters to go, Koos Moerenhout then crossed the gap to the lead group, but as soon as he reached them, Arvesen started his sprint.

Arvesen had just a bit more in his legs, holding of the attacks of Ballan on his right, and then Elmiger coming up on his left. 

The Standings       

None of the breakaway riders were high in the General Classification, so Cadel Evans kept the yellow jersey by one second.

Overall leader Cadel Evans commented on his first day in the yellow jersey: “I feel better and better each day since the crash. Hopefully by the Alps I’ll be 100 per cent. It’s mainly some swelling and bruising that’s causing some problems but I’m coping.”

When asked about Silence-Lotto’s strategy, Evans told reporters, “It was difficult, almost impossible to bridge to the group in front so we just stayed calm and let the other guys do the work. We’re using our heads as much as our legs in this situation and I’m happy with the tactics we employed today.”

Stage Eleven Results
Place	Rider	Team	Time	Gap
1	Kurt-Asle Arvesen	CSC	3h58’13”	0
2	Martin Elmiger	AG2R La Mondiale	3h 58' 13”	0
3	Alesssandro Ballan	Lampre	3h 58' 13”	0
4	Koos Moerenhout	Rabobank	3h 58' 15”	2”
5	Alexandre Botcharov	Credit Agricole	3h 58' 24”	14”
6	Pierrick Fedrigo	Bouyges Telecom	3h 58' 27”	14”
7	Filippo Pozzato	Liquigas	3h 58' 27”	14”
8	Benoit Vaugrenard	Francaise des Jeux	3h 58' 27”	14”
9	Fabian Wegmann	Gerolsteiner	3h 58' 27”	14”
10	Marco Velo	Milram	3h 58' 27”	14”
11	Dmitriy Fofonov	Credit Agricole	3h 58' 27”	14”
12	Amael Moinard	Cofidis	3h 58' 42”	29”

 

Team Standings
Place	Team	Time	Gap
1.	CSC Saxo Bank	139h 58' 49”	0
2.	AG2R La Mondiale	140h 03' 38”	+ 04' 49”
3.	Saunier Duval	140h 09' 00”	+ 10' 11”
4.	Gerolsteiner	140h 14' 12”	+ 15' 23”
5.	Rabobank	17' 35”	+ 18' 46”
6.	Lampre	140h 28' 52”	+ 30' 03”
7.	Caisse D’Epargne	140h 31' 34”	+ 32' 45”
8.	Euskaltel-Euskadi	140h 34' 34”	+ 35' 45”
9.	Credit Agricole	140h 40' 38”	+ 41' 49”
10.	Silence-Lotto	140h 41' 55”	+ 43' 06”