Team Sky's 'Super-Domestique' Geraint Thomas took Stage victory atop the summit finish to La Rosière, whilst also moving into the overall GC lead - earning himself the yellow jersey for the second consecutive Tour de France.
It had looked as if Mitchelton-Scott's lone breakaway rider Mikel Nieve (who attacked from the main pack of breakaway riders with about 10km to go) would take the victory, but Geraint Thomas sailed past the ex-Team Sky rider in the final 100m. Geraint Thomas had attacked with 6km to go to distance himself from Chris Froome, bridging over to Tom Dumoulin before attacking again. Tom Dumoulin narrowly pipped a very, very tired looking Chris Froome to second-place before Chris Froome finished third - a wonderful day for Team Sky!
The other GC contenders finished with various different time gaps. Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) lost 27 seconds to the Welshman Geraint Thomas, with Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) & Nario Quintana (Movistar) all conceded 59 seconds to Thomas.
Geraint Thomas' victory will provide more headaches for the Team Sky leadership and Dave Brailsford as there seems to be a leadership issue within the team. Geraint Thomas is probably in the form of his life and it certainly looks like he's stronger than Chris Froome at the minute, but he has always previously been Chris Froome's key-domestique. I'd love to see a switch in the roles of the two with Thomas allowed free reign on the GC battle, and if he doesn't end up winning the Tour de France then Chris Froome probably will.
Stage 11 Results;
1 ) Geraint Thomas (Team Sky | GBR) 3:29:36
2 ) Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb | NED) + 0:00:20
3 ) Chris Froome (Team Sky | GBR)
4 ) Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing | ITA) + 0:00:22
5 ) Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott | ESP)
6 ) Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates | IRL) + 0:00:27
7 ) Jesus Herrada (Cofidis | ESP) + 0:00:57
8 ) Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale | FRA) + 0:00:59
9 ) Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida | ITA)
10 ) Nario Quintana (Movistar | COL)
GC Stanings after Stage 11;
1 ) Geraint Thomas (Team Sky | GBR) 44:06:16
2 ) Chris Froome (Team Sky | GBR) + 0:01:25
3 ) Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb | NED) + 0:01:44
4 ) Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida | ITA) + 0:02:14
5 ) Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo | SLO) + 0:02:23
6 ) Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo | NED) + 0:02:40
7 ) Mikel Landa (Movistar | ESP) + 0:02:56
8 ) Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale | FRA) + 0:02:58
9 ) Nairo Quintana (Movistar | COL) + 0:03:16
10 ) Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates | IRL)