Stage 11 of the Tour de France takes pace on Wednesday and we take a look at the route and the all important betting
Stage 11 of the 2026 Tour de France takes the riders from Vichy to Nevers over 161.3 kilometres. There isn't a single significant obstacle on the route, with just two Category 4 climbs breaking up an otherwise flat day. On paper, this is the clearest sprint stage of the Tour so far.
Stage 10 Review
Tadej Pogačar justified his odds-on favouritism with another dominant display on Stage 10.
UAE Team Emirates XRG controlled the race throughout before setting their leader up perfectly for a decisive attack on the penultimate climb. Once Pogačar accelerated, nobody could respond, and he powered past leader Carapaz and sped away to claim another stage victory.
He crossed the line 32 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, who recovered well after looking in difficulty during the final 20 kilometres. Young French sensation Paul Seixas continued his remarkable Tour with another outstanding ride to finish third, just two seconds further back.
Classification Update – click here to bet
Pogačar now leads the Tour by 3 minutes and 36 seconds from Jonas Vingegaard, with Remco Evenepoel moving into third place, a further 30 seconds behind the Dane.
The latest Tour Winner betting is:
- Tadej Pogačar – 1.04
- Jonas Vingegaard – 13.00
- Paul Seixas – 41.00
The Green Jersey competition remains one of the most intriguing battles of the race.
Current standings:
- Mads Pedersen – 293 points
- Biniam Girmay – 239 points
- Tim Merlier – 213 points
Stage 11 offers another huge opportunity for the sprinters to score valuable points.
The latest Green Jersey betting is:
- Mads Pedersen – 1.50
- Biniam Girmay – 4.00
- Tim Merlier – 5.50
- Jasper Philipsen – 19.00
- Max Kanter – 23.00
- Tadej Pogačar – 51.00
Pogačar also strengthened his grip on the King of the Mountains competition.
He now leads Jonas Vingegaard by 15 points, with Richard Carapaz a further 8 points behind.
The latest King of the Mountains betting is:
- Tadej Pogačar – 1.50
- Richard Carapaz – 3.25
- Valentin Paret-Peintre – 15.00
- Lenny Martinez – 15.00
- Tom Pidcock – 23.00
- Jonas Vingegaard – 29.00
In the Team Classification, Lidl-Trek surrendered a small amount of time but continue to lead UAE Team Emirates XRG by 24 minutes and 18 seconds.
The latest Team Classification betting is:
- Lidl-Trek – 1.91
- UAE Team Emirates XRG – 1.91
- Team Visma | Lease a Bike – 19.00
Stage 11 Profile
Stage 11 is about as straightforward as it gets.
The riders leave Vichy on predominantly flat roads, with the intermediate sprint arriving after just 20.9 kilometres, making it another crucial moment in the battle for the Green Jersey.
Given the flat start it may well be Merlier who looks to keep things together to have a go at this one.
There are only two classified climbs on the route, both Category 4 ascents. The first, the Côte de Billomière, measures just 1 kilometre at 5.8%, while the Côte de Billy-Chevannes is 1.4 kilometres at 5%, cresting around 35 kilometres from the finish.
Neither climb is expected to trouble the leading sprinters, and after the second ascent the terrain flattens out all the way to Nevers, providing the sprint teams with plenty of opportunity to organise their lead-outs.
What to Expect?
It wouldn't be surprising if riders were reluctant to get into the breakaway.
With no significant climbs and very little terrain to exploit, this stage looks almost nailed on for a bunch sprint.
That said, after ten demanding days of racing there are now plenty of tired legs in the peloton, and it only takes two or three brave riders to force the sprint teams to do some work.
Ultimately though, it is difficult to see any breakaway surviving. The teams of Soudal Quick-Step, Decathlon AG2R, Intermarché-Wanty and Lidl-Trek all have plenty to race for, whether that is the stage victory or valuable Green Jersey points.
Everything points towards another high-speed sprint finish.
Stage 11 Betting – click here to bet
Stage Winner Odds
- Tim Merlier – 1.55
- Olav Kooij – 4.50
- Biniam Girmay – 8.00
- Jasper Philipsen – 11.00
- Max Kanter – 17.00
- Søren Wærenskjold – 26.00
- Mads Pedersen – 41.00
- Jonas Abrahamsen – 51.00
Verdict
Tim Merlier looks a worthy favourite based on the last two sprint finishes, and it is hard to look past him grabbing another victory.
He has clearly been the fastest pure sprinter in the race and has now won two stages in convincing fashion. With a straightforward run into Nevers and very little to disrupt the lead-out trains, the stage appears perfectly suited to his strengths.
At 1.55 there isn't a great deal of value, but he remains the most likely winner and deserves to head the betting and with the money back for 2nd insurance – see promo below – I am going to back him for a 3rd stage.
Suggested Bet: Tim Merlier to win Stage 11 at 1.55.
Tour de France 2026 – Stage Winner Money Back Promotion
Back any rider to win any stage of the 2026 Tour de France, and if your selection finishes 2nd in that stage, World Sports Betting will refund your stake in World Coins, up to R5,000!
Promotion Details
- Promotion period: 4 July – 26 July 2026
- Valid on pre-match single (straight) win bets only
- Bets must be placed before the start of each stage
- Refunds are paid in World Coins
- Maximum refund: R5,000 per account
- Only real money bets qualify (free bets excluded)
- Only one qualifying refund per bet
- Cash-out bets do not qualify
- World Coins are subject to the standard World Sports Betting Free Bet Terms & Conditions
- Accounts must be verified and in good standing
How to Claim
Simply email
Disclaimer: Prices were correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.