Will Buchmann continue the renaissance of German cycling that started with Degenkolb, Kittel and Greipel? (Getty Images)

Will Buchmann continue the renaissance of German cycling that started with Degenkolb, Kittel and Greipel? (Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Bora-Argon18's Emanuel Buchmann is the only neo-pro at this year's Tour de France. Could his third place on Stage 11 herald bigger things to come?

The most impressive ride of Stage 11 may not have been Rafal Majka's solo jaunt over the Tourmalet or Dan Martin's desperate attempts to catch him. Instead, it could be the performance of the rider that came in behind them both: German road champion Emanuel Buchmann.

Buchmann, the only first year professional in this year's Tour de France, is just 22 and is already making waves in his debut year with the ProContinental Bora-Argon18 team. Regarded as one of Germany's most promising climbing talents, he took out the 205km German national championship race just three weeks ago with a solo attack five kilometres from the finish line.

Buchmann also placed seventh at last year's Tour de l'Avenir, a race typically regarded as the junior Tour de France. His third place on last night's Stage 11 at the Tour de France only confirms his status as a rider to watch, especially given the effort made to catch MTN-Qhubeka's Serge Pauwels in the final kilometres of the stage.

Buchmann spent most of the stage in the breakaway after team leader Domink Nerz abandoned owing to illness early in the stage. This gave Buchmann the opportunity to go stage hunting, a role he took to with gusto.

"I'm really happy with the third place but I am also completely tired," Buchmann said after the stage. "It was a super hard stage with most of the day in the attack."

"I just rode my own rhythm and it went really good. Today, we all had the freedom to ride for ourselves and we all were trying to jump into the group. After a long fight, I then made it. I'm very happy and the result is even better."

Martin: my gut instinct was to attack Cannondale-Garmin's Dan Martin scored his second runner-up spot in this Tour de France but will keep seeking that elusive stage victory. Majka solos to a Tour stage victory Tinkoff-Saxo got the stage win it needed when Rafal Majka broke away for a solo on win the mountainous Stage 11 to Vallée de Saint-Savin at the Tour de France.

Bora-Argon18 sport director Enrico Poitschke said Buchmann rode "an impressive race".

"For sure, he went to the limit. But that’s what you have to do if you want to become third in such a tough Tour stage," said Poitschke. "I believe that he’ll recover well for the coming days. This is a great success for him and for us as a team.

"Now we will try to achieve the big goal of a stage victory."

Assuming Buchmann can come back from his efforts today, that's not an unobtainable goal, and nor are general classification hopes in the future.