By AFP
TOULOUSE: Norway鈥檚 Jonas Abrahamsen won stage 11 of the Tour de France in Toulouse on Wednesday while defending champion Tadej Pogacar emerged largely unscathed despite crashing 4km from the line.
Pogacar fell after hitting the back wheel of another rider but his rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel sportingly waited for the Slovenian to catch up after he got back on his bike. Ireland鈥檚 Ben Healy retained the leader鈥檚 jersey.
Pogacar sheepishly laughed off the tumble.
鈥淚鈥檓 a bit beaten up, I鈥檝e been through worse days, but yeah that was unexpected,鈥 he said.
He was also swift to thank his rivals.
鈥淏ig respect,鈥 he said of the gesture. 鈥淭he race was nearly over but I doubt I would have been able to catch up.鈥
Pogacar said he had feared the worst when another rider rode across the front of him.
鈥淗e completely cut me off. I saw my head going toward the sidewalk and I was worried I鈥檇 get hurt. Luckily I鈥檝e just lost some skin,鈥 said the three-time champion.
Pogacar said he felt the