Australia's Caleb Ewan (Lotto) clinched his first victory in the Tour de France on Wednesday (July 17th). He won the sprint at the end of the 11th stage in Toulouse.

Ewan, who participates for the first time in the Tour, has brought back in extremis the Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen, winner on July 12th of the 7th stage. The two men were separated by the photo-finish. The Australian, one of the smallest racers in the peloton by the height (1.65 m), is 25 years old. But he has already won on the Vuelta and the Giro.

In this sunny stage of 167 kilometers, the breakaway, launched at the flag drop at the exit of Albi, brought together four riders. Lilian Calmejane and Anthony Pérez, the two regional of the day, were accompanied by another Frenchman, Stéphane Rossetto, used to the race at the front, and by the Belgian Aimé De Gendt. The quartet was allowed a margin of three and a half minutes, but the peloton, most often led by Groenewegen and Ewan's team-mates, kept the leash tight, less than a minute 30 kilometers from the finish.

The attackers have been caught at the entrance of the last 10 kilometers. With the exception of Aimé De Gendt, who insisted alone in the suburbs of Toulouse, up to 4.5 kilometers from the line.

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck) kept the yellow jersey on the eve of the Pyrenees. Thursday, the 12th stage attacks the first passes, Peyresourde and Hourquette d'Ancizan, ranked first category, between Toulouse and Bagneres-de-Bigorre (209.5 km).

With AFP