Norwegian Wærenskjold wins Tour de France stage in record-breaking sprint from Vichy to Nevers

Søren Wærenskjold of Norway won the 11th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in a thrilling mass sprint finish. The stage, which covered 161.3 kilometers from Vichy to Nevers in central France, was the fastest in Tour de France history with an average speed of 50.91 kilometers per hour.
Wærenskjold, riding for Team Uno-X, executed a masterful sprint to claim his first Tour de France stage win. He started his sprint early, catching his competitors off guard and maintaining a lead of 10-15 meters to cross the finish line first. "I thought I was too far back, but then it opened up on the right side," Wærenskjold said after the race.
The victory was particularly sweet for Wærenskjold and his team, who had been through a rollercoaster of emotions during the race. "It's crazy. It's so nice for the team to get this win. There's been so much up and down. One day you feel like you're not at the level, and then you manage to sprint to victory. It's wild," Wærenskjold told TV 2 after the finish.
Team Uno-X manager Thor Hushovd was overjoyed with the victory. "I'm touched and overwhelmed. It's emotions... It's crazy," Hushovd told VG shortly after the triumph. This is Uno-X's second stage win in Tour de France history, with the previous one by Jonas Abrahamsen in 2025, also on the 11th stage.
The stage was not without its challenges. With less than 100 kilometers to go, Wærenskjold had to receive medical attention. Additionally, there was a crash involving several riders, including Georg Zimmermann, about 30 kilometers from the finish. Zimmermann was able to get back on his bike and finish the stage.
In the overall classification, Tadej Pogačar remains in the lead, wearing the yellow jersey for the 60th time in his career. His closest rival, Jonas Vingegaard, is 3 minutes and 36 seconds behind, with Remco Evenepoel in third place, just under four minutes behind Pogačar.
The win was a result of perfect teamwork and strategy. Wærenskjold's teammates had promised him a jet ski if he won the stage. "We promised him a jet ski if he won today, so now Thor (Hushovd) has to sort out the jet ski," said teammate Tobias Halland Johannessen to TV 2.
Wærenskjold's victory was unexpected but well-deserved. "I didn't think it was possible from that position," said NRK commentator Ole Kristian Stoltenberg. Wærenskjold himself was surprised by his win. "I thought I was too far back, but then it opened up on the right side," he told the organizer after the victory.
The stage was a fast-paced one, with the peloton maintaining an average speed of around 53 km/h on the flat sections. The previous record for the fastest stage was set in 1999 with an average speed of 50.36 km/h on a 194.5-kilometer stage.
Wærenskjold's win is a testament to his skill and the support of his team. "It means everything. It's my biggest win so far. When I came here, I knew there were two or three riders who were faster than me, but if I'm lucky and have a good sprint - like today - then it's possible," Wærenskjold said.
The Tour de France continues with the 12th stage on Thursday, July 16, 2026, which will start in Magny-Cours near Nevers and cover 179.1 kilometers east to Chalon-sur-Saône.
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