Having already finished 5th in stage 2, Tony Gallopin got closer to the elusive stage victory when he finished third in today's seventh stage of the Tour de France. However, the Frenchman honestly admitted that he had no chance in the fial sprit against Peter Sagan and Matteo Trentin.

The seventh stage took the riders from Epernay to Nancy. At 234.5 kilometers, this was the second longest stage of the 101st Tour de France. Tony Gallopin sprinted to the third place. Jurgen Van den Broeck crashed in the final kilometer. He doesn’t have any consequences of it. Because the crash happened within the last three kilometers Van den Broeck doesn’t lose time in GC.

Early in the race six riders attacked: Busche, Delaplace, Edet, Elmiger, Huzarski and Pichot. Cannondale, team of Peter Sagan, kept the break under control. With 45 kilometers to go the front group fell apart. Elmiger and Huzarski continued together. In the final two climbs of fourth category were located. On the first one, Côte de Maron, Huzarski and the Swiss national champion were caught. The peloton was strongly reduced on the climb. Jurgen Van den Broeck and Tony Gallopin rode in the front part of the group.

On the way to Côte de Boufflers Van Garderen crashed, the GC rider lost time. Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet jumped away on the climb, but the small peloton returned in the final kilometre.

There was another crash, this time Van den Broeck was involved. This for the third consecutive day. Luckily again without severe consequences. He doesn’t lose time in GC either. He even moves up to place five, because Cancellara lost time after a puncture on the last climb.

It was a close sprint between Matteo Trentin and green jersey Peter Sagan. The Italian won with a small advantage. Gallopin claimed the third place. In GC the Frenchman is sixth at 1’45” of Nibali, in the same time as VdB.
 
“There was lots of pushing in the sprint," he said. "And Talansky crashed. I was pushed to the side of the road, but the victory wasn’t possible. In this kind of sprints I can take my chance, but this was the best possible result against Trentin and Sagan. It was obvious, they were a bike length ahead.
 
“I marked this type of races. It’s the same kind as on day two to Sheffield, were I got fifth. The final was tough. I’ll have a go in similar stages later in the Tour. I’m not here for GC; Jurgen is our man for that. I take my chance in stages that are too hard for sprinters and are no real mountain stages. Hopefully I can win sometime.”