Mathieu Van der Pol (Alpecin-Desseuninck) abandoned the race midway through stage 11 of the Tour de France on the Telegraph Pass, a tough day in the Alps.

The Dutchman had been well below his usual high level since the start of the Tour and had been contemplating finishing the race for several days.

He seemed to find renewed vigor when he attacked his cyclo-cross rival Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in the early kilometers of the first alpine stage.

However, he dropped out of the breakaway group in the first 50 km on the first climb of the day, the category 2 Lacée de Montvernier.

Van der Pol returned to the peloton with a tough combination of the Telegraph and the Col du Galibier, but failed to reach the summit. He was quickly spat out from behind on the Telegraph, apparently gathering enough evidence to put an end to a disastrous Tour de France second round.

More to follow [11]