Cadel Evans' Tour de France title defence has taken a massive body blow
CADEL Evans refuses to concede his Tour de France quest is over despite tumbling to fourth overall overnight.
CADEL Evans's Tour de France defence is on life support after Sky tormentors Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome rained body blows on the Australian in an explosive 11th stage.
Evans tumbled out of second place to fourth overall - 3mins,19secs down - after he was dropped by Wiggins, Froome and Vincenzo Nibali on the final climb into La Toussuire-Les-Sybelles.
The defending champion now sits in fourth place, 1min, 26secs behind Froome and 56secs down on Nibali.
Evans finished 11th on the taxing 148km stage from Albertville after being paced to the finish by BMC team-mate Tejay van Garderen.
The Australian has vowed to regroup ahead of tonight's 12th stage.
"On the last climb, I lost a very disappointing amount of time to my main rivals," he said.
"Not something that pleases me in any way.
"We continue on the same though, we still have a lot more racing to go, certainly being over three minutes down is long way from optimal - it's far from over yet.
"Tough old day today....mountains all day."
Evans admitted it was his hardest stage to date.
"Possibly a chance for an early attack to work, and a solid pace from start to finish made for probably the most physically demanding day of this year's race so far," he said.
"We had a good early move going on the second climb the Col du Fer, with Amaël (Moinard), Tejay (van Garderen) and myself slipping away, but I was not having my best day.
"So while may have caused havoc behind, it was not a move to make any difference for the main GC contenders."
Froome defied team orders, says boss
The stage was won by Frenchman Pierre Rolland from compatriot Thibaut Pinot and Froome.
There was plenty of drama for Wiggins in the final as the Englishman cracked when Froome exploded clear, only to be ordered to wait for his team leader.
It was a miserable and painful day for Evans in the bright Alpine sunshine.
He unsuccessfully attacked on the slopes of the 22km Croix de Fer, following van Garderen towards the 2078m summit - the highest point on the 99th Tour.
Evans can still win, says van Garderen
Evan's move obliterated the yellow jersey group, prompting Wiggins to marshal his Sky lieutenants Michael Rogers, Richie Porte and Froome to counter.
And, after only 6km, the move was shut down - as, it seems, were Evans's hopes of successive Tour triumphs.
He simply did not have the legs to match Wiggins, Froome and Nibale.
After Evans's mid-race tilt, the status quo among the yellow jersey rivals remained until the last 10km when Nibali poured on the pressure.
He managed to fracture the Sky group led by Michael Rogers and Richie Porte.
By then, Rolland was powering to victory.
This was the most difficult day of the 99th Tour with almost 135km of inclines - and 70km of categorised ascents - over some of the most notorious terrain in the Alps.
The Madeleine stretches for 25km, Croix de Fer 22km, Mollard 5km and La Toussuire 18km.
The gradient on the most testing sections peaked constantly in double figures.
Despite the forbidding profile of the course, attacks ensued as soon as the starter's flag dropped.
A group fo 28 riders forged away from Wiggins and Evans before the ascent to Madeleine splintered the attack.
The most notable competitors in the leading bunch included Michele Scarponi, Ivan Basso and Levi Leipheimer.
After a flurry of attacks and counter-attacks, four men emerged to fight out the stage - led by Rolland.
Bathurst's Mark Renshaw, Lieuwe Westra, Gustav Larsson and Fabian Cancellara all withdrew from the Tour.
Yellow jersey contender Westra abandoned on the climb to the Col de La Madeleine, while Cancellara left the race for the birth of his second child.
Reigning Olympic Games time trial champion Cancellara will remain at home until after the birth before turning his attention to the London Olympics.
The Swiss star held the yellow jersey for a week after winning the Liege in Prologue.
"The decision to go back home is harder than you might expect," Cancellara said.
"Up to now the team has had a very good Tour de France.
"We won a stage, had the yellow jersey for more than a week, we lead the teams classification and we have four riders in the top 20 of the GC.
"Most of all, we could show the cycling world that we are not just a group of nine strong individual riders, but a real team.
"I am not only a bike rider, I am also a husband and father with another baby on the way
"It is my personal wish to be present when my wife Stefanie gives birth to our second child.
"That 'trophy' is more important than another Tour stage win or an Olympic medal.
"I already need to thank my wife for her patience with me during the last month in her pregnancy that has been difficult at times. The least I can do is to assist her in these difficult days."
Gustav Larsson also pulled out of the race.
The latest Tour withdrawals reduces the peloton to 171 from its original number of 198.
Renshaw out of Tour
MARK Renshaw is out of the Tour de France.
The Australian sprinter abandoned the race midway through the 11th stage from Albertville to La Toussuire-les-Sybelles.
Renshaw, who rides for Rabobank, had hoped to survive the French Alps before pushing for stage success on the flatter sections.
But he was among four riders to withdraw. Lieuwe Westra, Gustav Larsson and Fabian Cancellara were the others as the Tour de France headed into its most difficult day.
Yellow jersey contender Westra abandoned on the climb to the Col de La Madeleine, while Cancellara left the race for the birth of his second child.
Reigning Olympic Games time trial champion Cancellara will remain at home until after the birth before turning his attention to the London Olympics.
The Swiss star held the yellow jersey for a week after winning the Liege in Prologue.
"The decision to go back home is harder than you might expect," Cancellara said.
"Up to now the team has had a very good Tour de France.
"We won a stage, had the yellow jersey for more than a week, we lead the teams classification and we have four riders in the top 20 of the GC.
"Most of all, we could show the cycling world that we are not just a group of nine strong individual riders, but a real team.
The latest Tour withdrawals reduces the peloton to 172 from its original number of 198.
PREVIOUS STAGE NEWS
Prologue: Cancellara wins, Evans loses 10secs
Stage One: Evans survives as Sagan takes stage
Stage Two: Cavendish pips Aussie Goss at the line
Stage Three: Carnage as crashes cause chaos
Stage Four: Rivals survive as peleton crashes
Stage Five: Goss narrowly misses stage win
Stage Six: Goss goes close again as Sagan wins
Stage Seven: Evans scores decisive blow
Stage Eight: Evans exposes Wiggins' fragility
Stage Nine: Evans loses ground to Wiggins
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