MONT-SAINT-MICHEL, France — German rider Tony Martin won the 11th stage of the Tour de France and second-placed Chris Froome finished way ahead of his main rivals to significantly improve his overall lead on Wednesday.
Martin, the two-time defending world time trial champion, covered the 20.5-mile route in Normandy from Avranches to the medieval walled city of Mont-Saint-Michel.
Froome was fastest over the first two time splits. But he slowed down in the last section and rolled in 12 seconds slower than Martin.
Alejandro Valverde and two-time former champion Alberto Contador were more than two minutes slower than Froome. Also, 2010 champ Andy Schleck and 2011 champ Cadel Evans lost massive time.