Peter Sagan deprived of second place after using his elbow in the sprint

Caleb Ewan won the mass sprint on the eleventh Tour de France stage.

– I had a great drive to win today, especially after yesterday, when I was very disappointed. I am happy that I paid back to my team with a victory, says Ewan in the victory interview after the finish.

But the biggest drama was after the finish in Poitiers, because Peter Sagan was displaced after asking for second place. The Slovak pushed Jumbo-Visma star Wout van Aert with his elbow on the run.

Pointed the finger at Sagan

That made the judges put Sagan in last place on the stage.

Wout van Aert was furious and pointed the finger at Sagen after the finish.

– I mean I sprint in a straight line and out at the edge. He tried to make room for him and, it is not allowed to do so. The race is already dangerous enough. I was very surprised and shocked, I felt something. I was very scared, says a frustrated van Aert to TV 2 before the relocation was ready.

– I was angry and used a not so nice word when I talked to him. Afterwards I said I did not like what he was doing. The only thing I got back were ugly words. So yes, it was difficult to have a conversation with him, he says.

In Bora-hansgrohe, they have no problems with the decision.

– It was a difficult question, and Sagan came across a rider. The decision was the jury is fair, we accept it, says sports director Enrico Poitschke to TV 2.

– Have to crack down on that

The decision to relocate Sagan is supported by several experts.

– It’s wrong to do it (by Sagan). It is very much on the radar of the UCI after the terrible accident in Poland around, says TV 2’s cycling expert Mads Kaggestad.

– It’s not just van Aert, but Bennett, Ewan and everyone who comes behind. If they are to learn anything from Jakobsen’s terrible accident, they must strike at it there. I am not a cycling judge, but if they are to deal with it, it must be in such situations, says TV 2 commentator Christian Paasche.

– It’s about being strict so it lasts. It was just before Fabio Jakobsen ended his days in Poland after a wild question by Dylan Groenewegen. The jury did it exactly right, says TV 2’s cycling expert Johan Kaggestad.

TV 2’s cycling expert Thor Hushovd is skeptical of the jury’s decision.

– It was the small advertising padding that made Sagan have the slightly abrupt move towards van Aert. If there is no space, you are not allowed to make it. Sagan tried to make room, but it is the advertising upholstery that makes the movement so good. I think that is a dubious decision. I’ve seen a lot of sprints that are worse than that, and that does not affect van Aert. He only got one hide in the ham and kept asking all the way in. The decision is strict, but it comes from the fact that the International Cycling Union has put its foot down when there is something unregulated, says Hushovd.

Chanceless Norwegians

Alexander Kristoff and Edvald Boasson Hagen were in the sprint for the victory, but were parked by the fastest sprinters. Kristoff came in 13th place while Boasson Hagen followed as number 15.

Lukas Pöstlberger from Bora-hansgrohe went with six kilometers left to go – probably hoping to shake off the fastest sprints to help teammate Peter Sagan, but Bob Jungels and Kasper Asgreen from Deceuninck-Quick Step followed. With two kilometers left, it was all together.

As expected, it was a transport stage to the finish line in Poitiers. It was a long day alone in a break for Groupama-FDJ rider Matthieu Ladagnous, who took the entered sprint without a fight.

There was bigger competition in the main field, where Sam Bennett won the sprint ahead of teammate Michael Mørkov and the biggest competitor for the green jersey, Peter Sagan.

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