Norwegian rider Soeren Waerenskjold powered to victory in the fastest-ever stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, while overall leader Tadej Pogačar protected his lead on the 11th day of racing.

Waerenskjold, 26, won the relatively short and flat 161.3-kilometre stage from Vichy to Nevers in central France, finishing just ahead of Olav Kooij, Jasper Philipsen, and other sprinters in a sprint finish that seemed inevitable. This marked Waerenskjold's first stage win in the Tour de France, and he expressed surprise and joy at the result.

"It's my biggest win so far, and like I said when I came here, I knew that there are two or three guys that are faster than me, but if I'm lucky and I have a good sprint like today, then it's possible," Waerenskjold said. He added, "Sometimes, I have really good confidence and I believe in myself, but there's many, many times where I feel super tired and like it's impossible to win here."

The day before, Waerenskjold had finished last among the 175 riders after a crash on the hilly stage to Le Lioran and had received treatment for his right hand. Reflecting on his win, he said, "I thought I was too far back and then it opened up on the right side like it usually doesn't do, but it was a bit same feeling as my first big win in [Belgian race] Omloop het Nieuwsblad."

Meanwhile, Pogačar, who had extended his overall lead to more than three and a half minutes with his third stage win earlier that day, finished safely among a group of riders including his main challenger Jonas Vingegaard to maintain his advantage.

Waerenskjold described the victory as "crazy" and "unbelievable," highlighting the unexpected nature of his win in such a competitive field.

Sources