Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) confirmed his status as probably the best stage hunter in the peloton by claiming his fourth stage win in his fourth WorldTour stage race of 2016 on stage 7 of the Tour de France. The Brit soloed away from a 29-rider breakaway and continued to increase his advantage all the way up the Col d’Aspin to claim his second Tour de France stage victory with an advantage of 1.05 over Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) and Daniel Navarro (Cofidis). Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) joined the break, finished 5th and extended his overall lead while Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) was the only loser in a ceasefire between the GC riders. A collapsed 1km-to-go-banner created chaos in the finale and brought down Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) who had attacked over the top of the Aspin.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Steve Cummings: I felt horrible all day

Steve Cummings won stage 7 of the Tour de France in typical Steve Cummings fashion, attacking from the original break of the day, to win solo in Lac de Payolle.

 

The 7th stage got off to a fast start with Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) attacking from kilometer zero. 10 other riders joined the Green Jersey contenders but the peloton weren't content on letting Sagan and Cavendish get away. As soon as their group was caught, the counter attacks started and Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka were fully switched on as Edvald Boasson Hagen made a new break with 3 others. Once again, a few kilometers down the road this break was also caught. The third escape would be the defining move of the day and 29 riders rode clear after 40km of racing, including Cummings.

 

Cummings was not in favour of reaching the Aspin with this big group and so when Navarro, Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie) and Matti Breschel (Tinkoff) got a 15 second gap on the lead group, Cummings rode across to the trio and injected some real pace into their attack. This caused a reaction in the chase and the big group split as 9 riders then tried to come across to the 4 leaders. The junction was just about to be made with 26km to go but before the chasers made contact, Cummings counter attacked and went solo.

 

The Col d'Aspin was a 12km category 1 climb that topped out 7km before the finish in Lac de Poyolle. The odds were stacked against Cummings as he was alone, being chased by 12 riders who were just 30 seconds behind him when the Aspin began. Everybody thought Nibali and Navarro would be able to bridge the gap to Cummings, and they tried, attacking on the very lowest slopes of the Aspin. Cummings held a consistent pace though and he was totally committed to the move.

 

In the end, Cummings even put time into his closest chasers on the Aspin. With the peloton still 4 minutes down on Cummings as he began the descent to the line, he just needed to stay upright to take an incredible victory. Cummings was able to do so with ease and the Brit was even able to savour the moment, crossing the line just more than a minute ahead of Impey. It was another unbelievable day for the African Team, as they have now won 4 out of the first 7 stages, a feat they couldn't have even dreamed of. Mark Cavendish retained the lead in Green Jersey points competition too, ensuring they had two riders on the stage podium today.

 

Steve Cummings said:

 

“That was sweet. After what has already happened this week, it is just fantastic to have won. Of all my victories, I think this has to be my best one.

 

“I wasn't confident in that big group and putting pressure on them, I thought, was my best option. The Aspin is also a climb that suits my characteristics. The group behind was obviously on the limit so I just carried on, as you do, and I was able to win.

 

“I am really happy for the team and thankful that they believe me. I hope that people are really starting to get that we are racing to put kids on bikes with Qhubeka, it just makes everything that much more special for us and has put the team on a high.

 

"Of all my victories, I think it's the best one. The Tour is the Tour, it's special. I didn't need to win a stage this year. I had a different condition from last year as I started the Tour riding for Mark who is such a winner and an inspiration. It's brilliant, it's fantastic.

 

"I wasn't confident in that group with Nibali and Navarro. Before, I had to play it strategically with the teams who had the numbers, like Cofidis and Cannondale with three riders, Astana with two… I don't know why Navarro killed himself on the flat because he's such a good climber but when he rode away with one Cannondale (Breschel) and Chavanel's team-mate (Duchesne) it was perfect for me to go with them.

 

“The idea was that Navarro will cook himself before the climb, so I put pressure on Astana to chase behind. I felt if I can get in front with a smaller number of riders, I'd have more chances of winning. Then I avoided Nibali to come across. It was a good strategy, I think!

 

”I cooked myself actually. I think I was riding on the flat quite a lot. Then a 5 to 6% climb like Col d'Aspin is good for my characteristics, so I just carried on and I won.

 

"I didn't have to try too hard to get in the break then it's always about numbers. I saw that some teams had several riders in the big move and so just waited. Then I decided I had to go before the Aspin to get time on the climbers.

 

"I think it was a good strategy but I was cooked on the climb and thought Nibali would come back. I even thought at one point that it was better to wait for him and then get him in the sprint, but you just keep going. I was on the limit all day, it was difficult, it was hard, but you just commit to the decision you make. I played my cards in the finale as well as I could.

 

“By the way: you cannot trust anyone, unless it is a teammate. And even then, sometimes not. So I rode on, as it should.

 

“At the difference of my stage win at the Dauphiné where I had good sensations all the way, I felt horrible uphill today. I was worried that Nibali would pass me like Marco Pantani and I wouldn't be able to hold his wheel. But I committed to my decision to ride my tempo till the end.

 

"Perhaps it is possibly my greatest win. The Tour multiplies things so many times but every win as a pro is important because they aren't easy. I really needed a win, I didn't just want it. I haven't felt super so far in the Tour, I never really do on the sprint stage but the moral in the team was super high and that helped me.

 

"Last year was the dream, for a while after winning there I was honestly thinking ‘what do I do now?' I was lost for months, then when I understood what I had done, I wanted to do it again, which also gave me confidence.

 

"I'm not the most confident person, but now I have a little video collage I watch when I'm not feeling so sure. I don't like to watch the video of Mende but I have to do it when I don't feel well to realize that I can do that. I also have a team behind me with calm people who believe in the process. The team believes in me, which is really important. My training is always the same, my weight is always the same, I do things very simply. If you like, I've found a formula. I can't say when I will win, it might be here, might be in the Vuelta, but I know I can win. I have the right formula but the formula also needs some lucky -  and patience. I thought that if I did not win in the Tour, I would do it in the Vuelta or Giro.

 

"The Olympics is the Olympics but I'm over it now, as an athlete you learn to deal with disappointment. It's a blessing in disguise being in the Tour de France, because this is the biggest bike race on earth, much bigger than any Olympic Games, I'm just grateful my team gave me an opportunity here.

 

"The experts have made their choice, so it's up to them. If I think what I've done in the last and if I don't get a pass to Rio, then it's okay now, no problem. I'll go to the Vuelta and try to win a stage there."

 

My success comes from several factors. I have the freedom at Dimension Data that I didn’t have before in teams going for the GC. In some of these teams, it is already difficult to get a spot in the Tour. In my team, I have the freedom to interpret the race as it comes and ride to win a stage.

 

“We now have Mark in our team. Through his stage victories, we all sit on a cloud, he is such a winner, such an inspiration.”

 

"The team's expectation was to have somebody in the breakaway, and ideally it would have been Steve because we knew this stage was going to suit him really well,” Serge Pauwels told Eurosport. “He turned up there when it was still a big group. The way he has won already this year in Dauphine and Pays Basque and in Tirreno from a breakaway, we knew for sure also the other guys in the breakaway knew how dangerous he would be. He proved again that when he picks his day, he's one of the best riders in the world.”

 

Sports director Jean-Pierre Heynderickx told Cyclingnews:

 

"Unbelievable. Four stages of the seven, we can hardly dream about it.

 

"We marked this stage before the Tour to go in the break and to go for the victory. We won already three stages before, but we said we don’t change our plan and we just stick on the plan to go in the break today, and try to go for the stage win.

 

"Steve was one of the guys we mentioned in the meeting to go in the break. It was a perfect stage for Steve to go in the break and take a couple minute's advantage before the Col d'Aspin. But with 29 riders it was not so ideal, with Nibali the peloton was keeping the time gap very low, four or five minutes. But in the final Steve was really strong. He didn't lose much time to the peloton. He's a good climber, and a good time trialist and good descender, so it was a good stage for Steve."

 

Daryl Impey: I really surprised myself on the climb

South African Daryl Impey rounded off a great ride in the breakaway on stage seven of the Tour de France today, sprinting to second place for Orica-BikeExchange as the race hit the Pyrenees.

 

A solo attack by Stephen Cummings (Dimension-Data) won the stage as Impey more than held his own against the likes of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) on the first category Col d’Aspin before sprinting past Dani Navarro (Cofidis) for second place.

 

“I really surprised myself on the climb, I think I went better than expected and I am chuffed with that,” said a happy Impey after the stage.

 

“When you look who was in the breakaway there was a lot of strong climbers there and I tried to sit on and save myself a little, fortunately I was able to do that and I held onto a good position for the finale”

 

Sport director Matt White was happy with the result and praised a great a ride by Impey.

 

“It was an incredible ride by Daryl (Impey) today,” said White. “We had no plan to try and make the breakaway and once the second move of the day went up the road Daryl was well placed ended up producing a great performance.

 

”You don’t see many lead out men riding so well in the mountains and competing against world class climbers and former Grand Tour winners. It really was an incredible ride by Daryl.

 

”It’s a very big mountain stage tomorrow, four very difficult climbs and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.”

 

 

Adam Yates: I am beyond disappointed

Adam Yates has moved into the lead of the best young rider classification after theORICA-BikeExchange rider attacked from the group of favourites on the final descent of stage seven of the Tour de France today, before his progress was impeded by a falling banner one kilometre from the line.

 

Tenacious riding by 23-year old Yates on the descent of the Col d’Aspin means he not only takes the white jersey but also moves into second on the general classification ahead of tomorrow’s stage eight.

 

Yates suffered the misfortune when the inflatable Flamme Rouge banner – which marks the one kilometre to go point – deflated and fell on the ORICA-BikeExchange rider as he passed underneath.

 

The Briton sustained some heavy bruising and needed four stitches in his chin but thankfully will be ok to continue the race.

 

“I attacked on the descent of the Col d’Aspin and started to take some risks to try and gain some time,” said Yates after the stage. “I didn’t see what actually happened, but clearly the banner fell into me as I was approaching the finish.

 

“Obviously I’m disappointed because I was feeling good and things like that are not really supposed to happen. I have a few new cuts on my chin for the collection but otherwise I’m ok.

 

“I’m beyond disappointed. There’s not much you can do. When it came down on me, I had no time to react.

 

“At the top of the climb, I followed Dan Martin when he attacked. I took risks on the descent to get the white jersey. I had five to seven seconds, but that’s it.

 

“I had a millisecond to react, but that’s not long enough to pull the brakes. The barrier came down and I hit it. It was good that it was just me on my own. If the peloton was there on a sprint stage, going 70 to 80 kilometres an hour, it would’ve been worse.

 

”It is what it is. Nothing can be done about it. I can't tell you what happened. The barrier came down. I did attack at the top of the climb. I tried to make a gap to take the white jersey. I hope so. We'll see what the organisers decided [the comments were made before the official decision was made].

 

“I have a cut shoulder, my wrist and knee are banged up, but I’m OK. I crash a lot on my chin! In San Sebastián I had eight stitches, then the time before seven stitches. Quite a lot of crashes on my chin, but I’m OK. You get on with it, what can you do?”

Vincenzo Nibali: There will be other opportunities for

“I’ve tried, I wanted to try and I did it,” explained Vincenzo Nibali after the end of the stage. “When I saw the yellow jersey on the attack, I thought it could be a good escape even if it wasn’t easy to join it. Then we were 29 and I felt quite comfortable.

 

“When Cummings attacked I thought he could be dangerous for the stage win. For this reason I kept the rhythm as high as possible in the flat and I did the forcing from the beginning of the last climb. We were at only 20 secs, we could see him in some turns, but then I was pushing on the pedals alone and I was doing an incredible effort that unfortunately wasn’t enough.

 

“At least, the Most Combative Award is some reward but my condition is growing and I think I will try again.

 

"Cummings has done well anticipating our return. He told me after the race that he did it because he was scared of me. It wasn't easy to read this race. I made the right breakaway and I did quite well I think.

 

“I'm looking for my best shape and I hope to have fun during this Tour. I haven't stopped smiling even though I lost some time the other day. I know I can have a good Tour de France even after having won the Giro d'Italia. The first goal is to have a good final GC with Fabio Aru. He's in a great shape.

 

"My goal was the stage win, but I couldn’t. Today, the final was complicated because I had to spend a lot of energy to join the break when I was riding with Geschke. I was always chasing. I thought it was going to calm down, but once I was in the group we never slowed down. When the battle started, there was not much for me to do even if Lutsenko did a great job. Cummings delivered a great show of strength. But in other situations, other races, I also found that I was able to do this stuff. There will be other opportunities.”

 

 

"I'm here to work on my form for the Olympic road race. I feel I'm getting better and otherwise I wouldn't have gone up the road today," Nibali told Spaziociclismo and Cyclingnews.

 

"Our plan was different this morning, I should have stayed with Fabio and the other GC guys but when the first break with Luis Leon Sanchez was pulled back, Van Avermaet went in the next break and so I moved too.

 

"We went flat out but some riders attacked to try to gain an advantage on me. Cummings rode well and I can only congratulate him. I tried to get across to him quickly but it was difficult on the climb and by the top I was pretty tired.

 

"There are other stages where I can try to do something, my legs are feeling better. I'll try to help the team because Fabio can do well overall and I can maybe come up with something…"

 

"Today was a quiet day. Nibali was able to get into the good break and did good work. Now we think about the next stages as we expect two very challenging days,” Fabio Aru told Rai.

 

Sports director Stefano Zanini told Eurosport:

 

 "Once we were in the break the goal was to win the stage with Vincenzo. Unfortunately Cummings went away and we just couldn't catch him. He went very well, he was strong out front and fully deserved the victory. On the climb Vincenzo tried many times on the climb to put the hammer down, but just didn't have it. It was a good contest today and I think he did pretty well.

 

"In the next few days I reckon the stages will be pretty difficult. We'll try to do something special with Fabio and Vincenzo will be alongside him with the rest of the team trying to help him. We'll see. The Tour is long, but we will definitely try to win a stage and just stay there or thereabouts.”

 

Greg Van Avermaet: Tomorrow will probablu be my last day in yellow

Greg Van Avermaet put in an incredible ride on stage 7 to finish in fifth place, not only keeping his leader’s yellow jersey but increasing his lead in the General Classification.

 

The first stage in the Pyrenees saw a fast and furious start with the peloton reeling in the first breakaway after 43 kilometers of racing. That made way for a solid breakaway of 29 riders to form, including Van Avermaet, building a gap of over five minutes as they approached the two categorized climbs of the day.

 

Steve Cummings attacked solo from the split breakaway with 26 kilometers to go. Van Avermaet was part of a 4-rider chase group, holding on as long as possible on the aCol d’Aspin to cross the line in fifth place behind solo winner Cummings.

 

Van Avermaet now commands a 6’36” lead over Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step) heading into his third day in the yellow jersey, which sees a big day in the mountains on stage 8.

 

Van Avermaet said:

 

“I knew it would be hard to keep the jersey today. I made a smart move I think to go in the break. It was a hard start and everybody wanted to go. We tried to control but at one point we were riding and they kept on jumping behind us and then I said maybe it’s better that I save my teammates again and I just go by myself. It kept the pressure off the team, they didn’t have to work that hard today and I keep yellow.

 

"It was a bit strange because they kept on attacking, and some big breaks were going off. My team was getting tired in the end, so I just wanted to take the pressure off my team and go by myself. I think it was a smart decision to do this. They didn't have to work today and they still have the same at the end of the day. It was a pretty good day for BMC.

 

"I wasn't expecting a winning time today, I'm pretty happy with this. It was a smart decision to go in the break. At the end of the day I got what I wanted, I got an extra day in yellow. I will enjoy tomorrow, but I think it will be my last day tomorrow.

 

“It was a great day, it’s not often you see yellow in the breakaway It wasn’t easy but I gained some time. I look forward to tomorrow as it’s probably my last day in yellow. I will enjoy it, it’s a mountain stage so we will see how it goes.

 

“With yellow on the shoulders you always do a little bit more. I was really motivated to keep the jersey. I just wanted to go for it, the shape is really good and I’m happy to have another day.

 

“My reservoir is empty after this ride! It was a hard again but fortunately, I had recovered well after my stage win. It was good that we had an easy day yesterday.

 

“It was a big effort when I had to close the gap by myself to reach the front group when our breakaway split. I'm happy to keep the yellow jersey and gain some extra time.

 

“I've never thought I could win a second stage today. With Nibali, Navarro and Cummings in the front group, it was too hard to beat them.

 

“In the climb, I rode at my rhythm. I didn't want to go beyond my limit when Nibali attacked. I just wanted to defend the yellow jersey. Everyone wants this jersey for one day in his life, so to get it for one more day is worth some efforts. It's been a wonderful day again but I'm aware that it can be very hard tomorrow.”

 

“The peloton let me go but I am not a climber, I'm not here to win the Tour. It will be very difficult for me tomorrow but that three days in yellow is good. This was not planned. I just followed my feelings, I raced purely on intuition. We actually wanted the team to control the race but they kept attacking. At some point it became too much for me, so I went on the attack. That was actually a clever maneuver, my best decision of the day: firstly to get some time for the Aspin, and secondly, so I could keep the yellow jersey. I got an advantage, so this was definitely a good day for me. This morning I would have been happy if I had retained the yellow by one second. Another day in yellow: fantastic!

 

“When I saw Cummings, I knew it was over. He is a specialist and if he goes like today, there is nothing to do. I'm very happy for him, he is a fantastic guy.  With Navarro and Nibali there were a few strong climber. I knew that the victory was not an option.

“Tomorrow is my last day in yellow. In a stage I can survive one climb like today, but when the GC riders go tomorrow, I have to surrender. The important thing is that I can enjoy one more day. But tomorrow I'll enjoy it and recuperate so that I can still go for a stage win in the third week. Today I had to go very deep to stay in yellow. I cannot do that every day."

 

Manager Jim Ochowicz said:

 

“We’ve probably done way more than we expected to in this first week of racing. It’s a great beginning for us, in what is going to end up still being a real challenge for everybody going forward. We take it one day at a time and so far each day has been good. We’re very happy with the results so far and to go into the second week of racing with Greg Van Avermaet in the Yellow Jersey, it’s a good feeling.”

 

Richie Porte: I am climbing with the best of the best

Richie Porte said:

 

“I didn’t come down [when the arch came down on the course], I think Yates might have. It was a strange one. Common sense prevailed and everybody rode on.

 

”The Col d’Aspin was good. I had a bit of a gap there over the top. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but you’re never going to stay away in a descent like that with those guys coming back as quickly as they were.

 

“The pace on the climb wasn’t that high. I felt good, it’s another day down and it’s one that could have been quite tricky with that last little descent. But it all went well.

 

”We’re going to take it as it comes. I’m climbing with the best of the best, the time loss still hurts, but it’s day by day.”

 

Tejay van Garderen: We will have fireworks tomorrow

Tejay van Garderen said:

 

“No one really attacked. Col d’Aspin isn’t the hardest climb. We didn’t have any climbs before to really soften the legs up so everyone was pretty fresh. We did have a hard tempo out there, I heard on the radio that Pinot was dropped, so it’s not easy if a guy like him is getting dropped. With the next two days coming up I think people are pretty nervous for those two days, so I think we’ll see some fireworks tomorrow and Sunday.

 

“There was a 20-man break out there. That doesn’t happen easily. We were fighting out there for 60 km to get the breakaway.

 

”On the climb it was a stiff tempo. There were no big attacks from the GC guys because we’re all a little too fresh, but today softened up the legs for the coming days. It was a dream scenario today with Greg up the road.”

 

Chris Froome: We will see bigger gaps tomorrow

Chris Froome held station overall at the Tour de France after the race headed into the high mountains for the first time on stage seven.

The Pyrenees provided the backdrop on an intriguing day, which saw a huge amount of action in the breakaway, while the general classification contenders largely kept their powder dry.

 

The race's opening first category climb - the Col d'Aspin - saw Froome surrounded by a strong Team Sky unit, ensuring the Brit was well-placed ahead of the descent into the finish in Lac de Payolle.

 

Late drama was averted after bizarre events in the final kilometre. The inflatable flamme rouge banner collapsed into the road just as the GC group arrived on the scene. Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) had carved out a small gap but was brought down, while Froome and co were forced to duck under the banner and rode together to the finish. Moments later the race organisers announced that the stage times would be taken at the 3km to go mark.

 

That ensured Froome maintained his GC foothold as the Tour heads deeper into the mountains, 6:42 back on race leader Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing).

 

On the relative lack of GC action during the stage Froome explained:

 

"We've got a really big weekend coming up and there's a lot of hard racing to come. It's better to save a little bit in the tank.

 

"Tomorrow's stage is a lot harder and there's a lot of tired legs. Today wasn't an easy stage so once we get into tomorrow's stage and Sunday's stage we're going to see some proper big gaps.

 

“I'd imagine we'll see bigger time gaps tomorrow. There should be some tired legs as today wasn't an easy day.

 

"Movistar rode a much higher pace than we did controlling the race. It looked as if they wanted to bring the break back today, which told me that they wanted to try and go for the stage - but then on the final climb it looked as if they backed off a bit. Either that or they ran out of people to pull. I don't know which one it was. Either way it was a good day for the GC guys to tick off.

 

"It was quite a surprise to come around that corner and see Yates on the floor. It's one of those unexpected thing. I think the jury have neutralized the times and we just neutralized the race from there to the finish line.

 

"Valverde and I just chatted about the race, who is pulling and who is going to take charge of the chase today in the peloton. At the end we decided to share the workload there."

 

Geraint Thomas (7th) and Wout Poels (8th) picked up top-10 finishes, with Froome, Sergio Henao, Mikel Nieve and, a few seconds later, Mikel Landa all present at the sharp end.

 

Vasil Kiryienka also played a key role on the day, marking the day's breakaway - which also contained Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) - before dropping back to the peloton to provide additional support.

 

Team Sky shared tempo work with Movistar for much of the 162.5km test, with Luke Rowe and Ian Stannard once again getting through a lot of work.

 

Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde looking for opportunities in next Pyrenean stages

The prelude to a high voltage weekend in the Tour de France acted as measurement of the main GC references. At least, that’s what Nairo Quintana was expecting at the start of stage seven (162.5km between L’Isle-Jourdain and the Lac de Payolle). Far from showing their cards again on one of the most famous Pyrenean ascents, the Col d’Aspin (Cat-1; 12km at 6.5%), both the Movistar Team and Sky preferred to play it defensively on the second mountain stage of the race.

 

The squad directed on French soil by José Luis Arrieta and Chente García Acosta was present in the massive, 29-man breakaway formed after a whooping 49.4kph were covered on the first hour of racing. Gorka Izagirre was in the two main moves before it consolidated, including a 12-rider attempt including Green Jersey contenders Peter Sagan (TNK) and Mark Cavendish (DDD). As the escape saw its advantage grow to more than five minutes, the ever-dependable Imanol Erviti took the front to keep things uncomfortable for the rivals, keeping the front pace under check, and keeping the favourites on the alert behind. Race leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), part of the front group, followed a move before the climb by Vincenzo Nibali (AST) and kept his big gap in the overall standings over the main contenders, a list which is without Thibaut Pinot (FDJ).

 

Stephen Cummings (DDD), together with Impey (IAM), Navarro (COF) and Nibali (AST) at the foot of the Aspin, jumped for glory in Payolle as the likes of Nairo, Froome (SKY) and Contador (TNK) stayed vigilant towards each other, saving their energies for Saturday’s beautiful festival of climbs. The Tourmalet (HC), Hourquette d’Ancizan (Cat-2), Col de Val Louron (Cat-1) and Peyresourde (Cat-1) will set for a nice scene for attacks before a fast descent takes the Tour into Bagnères-de-Luchon. An incident also made the headlines in today’s finale: the inflatable arch sustaining the ‘flamme route’ fell just in front of the Movistar Team’s leaders. Fortunately, all GC times were taken with 3km remaining; no further changes followed.

 

Alejandro Valverde said: “The arch collapsed as we headed into the final kilometer - someone might have wanted the race to end a bit earlier(laughs) Seriously, it’s all right for us. It was a slightly more calm day, but the wear and tear of the tough previous stages is starting to be felt. It was also a strange race today: no one was thinking that such a big escape would form. In the end, it stayed away. We will see what we can do tomorrow.”

 

Nairo Quintana added: “It was a faster race than we expected. The Col d’Aspin was also climbed at high speed than we thought and there weren’t much energy left for a big attack within the GC contenders - we all just could prvent the escapees from keeping a massive gap and hope for a better chance tomorrow.”

 

Sports director Chente García Acosta said:

 

“The collapsing of the ‘flamme rouge’ was a race incident, something you can come across in a race, and the race jury considered it as such - Radio Tour quickly informed us that times would be taken into account at the 3km to go-mark. Let’s hope Yates, the one most affected by the crash, isn’t really badly hurt. Tomorrow’s stage is a traditional one in the Pyrenees, with those famous, chained climbs; we will surely see more clearly what’s gonna happen in the race.”

 

Alberto Contador: I had to be extremely conservative

There were rumours of rain at today’s finish in le Lac du Payole, but it was blue skies all round as Alberto Contador finished safely in the bunch after the Tour de France’s first Pyrenéen stage, showing that he is recovering well from his injuries sustained earlier in the race. Even the collapse of the Flamme Rouge at the stage’s finish didn’t slow the Spanish team leader’s march to recovery, who rode conservatively today to test his legs before the big mountains.

 

From the off, the attacks were on, and today the UCI World Champion, Peter Sagan, got himself in the early breakaway. Having been denied the opportunity to escape on previous stages due to his having the race leader’s yellow jersey on his shoulders, Sagan made the most of the opportunity to try and collect some points in the intermediate sprint. After 40km out front in his group of twelve, however, the peloton was chasing hard and the Slovakian rider sat up and returned to the peloton along with a few others, and minutes later the entire break disintegrated and it was all back together.

 

Sport Director, Steven De Jongh, was pleased to see Sagan on the hunt for points.

 

“Right from the start it was super fast, and Peter tried to get in the first break to chase points for the green jersey, but Etixx and Lotto Soudal didn't want it to get away and chased it down.”

 

Moments later, another attack, and this time a larger group of almost thirty escaped – this time with the yellow jersey in their midst, building up a strong and steady advantage as the stage went on, with just over four minutes as the race hit the 50km to go mark. After riding hard to stay in the original break, De Jongh wanted the team to focus on conserving energy for the later climb.

 

“After this, a big break of 29 went, and this was OK, as if they weren't happy to let Peter go then we were better to save our efforts in the bunch and prepare for the mountain ahead, keeping Alberto safe.”

 

In the peloton, Alberto Contador was surrounded by teammates, who were making sure the Spanish team leader was kept safe and supported ahead of the big climb. This being the first bigger mountain stage, his aim would be to test his legs and see how well he was recovering from his injuries sustained from crashes in the first two stages.

 

From the stage’s finish, Contador explained his strategy for the stage.

 

"Today I had to be extremely conservative, something that is completely atypical to my style of racing. However today was a simple appetizer to what will take place tomorrow. The goal now is to recover and tackle these two days on the Pyrenees, with our sights set on the rest of the Tour.”

 

With 20km remaining, the peloton began to up the pace to reduce the time gaps of the yellow jersey group ahead, and this was going to be the deciding factor in who could hold on – who was on form and who wasn’t. In the bunch, around 4’30” behind the solo breakaway leader, Contador was amongst many of his GC rivals and had Rafal Majka and Roman Kreuziger with him to keep him safe.

 

As the solo breakaway crossed the line, all eyes were on the bunch as they reached the summit of the Col d’Aspin and started their descent into Le Lac du Payole. As they reached the 1km to go point however, the Flamme Rouge collapsed just as the many group was approaching. Through safely, and with no concerns of time losses due to the neutralisation of this section, Contador crossed the line with Kreuziger, in amongst his GC rivals.

 

Looking back on the day’s racing, Contador was pleased with how the strategy for the day worked out.

 

“Although the stage had just one climb, the pace was high throughout the day. It also was a climb with strong winds. Despite the headwind, the average speed was high and that combined with the heat took its toll on some riders, so I decided to go to the back of the group. It's true that this change in rhythm can create gaps but on the other hand you ride well protected from the wind. My body welcomed that and it saved the day for me.

 

"Climb by climb, bit by bit, day by day I am getting better. It's going to be complicated, but I hope to make the best of it.

 

"It was a very demanding day. The first break had Peter and Cavendish, and the teams that are interested in the green jersey were pulling on the front. In the middle section, the group was then holding back, holding back. So then we tried to change the rhythm… I had to be conservative. In another scenario, I would have attacked, but I had to hold back.

 

"The main teams set a really high tempo and some of the other riders paid for that. The group kept going and going, until the final kilometre. Fortunately, I didn't crash. It meant that the final kilometre was pretty calm.

 

"We were about twenty riders in the group and we saw that we had to stop because the flamme rouge banner had deflated. It was something special. I was far enough back in the group and also the banner was 200 meters after a turn so there was time to stop.

 

“I'm really happy with the whole day, and the important thing is to recover. My objective is just to get through the Pyrenees, and then the race starts for me again.

 

Summing up the stage and looking ahead to tomorrow, De Jongh was pleased with how the day unfolded, and this had created confidence in the team for a long day in the mountains tomorrow.

 

“By the finish Alberto hadn't lost any time, which was the most important thing today. We continue to take it day by day, and already tomorrow is a really hard day with the Tourmalet, which is always special. I think it will be an exciting day and we're ready.”

 

Tomorrow brings with it the Souvenir Jacques Goddet – and a worthy one at that. The Col du Tourmalet is the first of four climbs of the day, and the first Hors Catégorie climb of this Tour de France. 19km long and with an average gradient of 7.4%, this killer of a climb will set the tone for the day, on a parcours that looks more like a saw than a road stage. With barely a flat section on which to recover over the entire 184km stage, this will be a tough, exhausting day for everyone.

 

Contador knew full well what was to come, but was looking forward to seeing what the day brought.

 

“Tomorrow will be hard but we'll see what happens. We have passed the day without problems and if I had been told that at the start I would not have believed it. I honestly do not know how it will go tomorrow. I think it will be difficult for me, but never say never.

 

Tony Martin: I gave it my best in the break

29 riders booked a place in the front group, among them being also Tony Martin; riding the Tour de France for the 8th time and winner of five stages at the previous participations, the three-time ITT World Champion brought his fair share of work which helped the group gain more than five minutes on the chasers.

 

On Aspin, Tony Martin – who was reeled in by the peloton – set the pace for two kilometers, helping teammates Julian Alaphilippe and Daniel Martin. In the last kilometer of the ascent, both Etixx – Quick-Step riders tried their hand, first the 24-year-old, followed shortly by Martin. As the peloton intensified the pace, they didn't get too much space, and it was only on the descent that a rider (Adam Yates – Orica-BikeExchange) managed to break clear.

 

Of the five Tour de France stages Tony Martin won in the past, two came in road stages, the German proving each time he has the craftiness and the sheer power necessary to make it all the way to the finish line. That's why he went up the road on Friday, and even though the result wasn't the one he had in mind, Martin was still pleased with this display:

 

"The start of the stage was really crazy. Cavendish and Sagan tried to be part of the breakaway and their presence there was dangerous for the points jersey classification, so we chased to bring them back. Then, other riders had a go and I jumped immediately. I was hoping to fight for the win, but just before the Aspin the escapees began gambling and I missed the move. When I saw that, I decided to wait for the pack, so I can help Dan and Julian. At the end of the day, I'm satisfied with my condition and with the fact I gave it my best in the break."

 

Dan Martin: The sensations are good

Julian Alaphilippe and Dan Martin arrived with the peloton, but the young Frenchman had to let go of the white jersey he was wearing since last Sunday, as Adam Yates, who was at the front on the downhill, before the gauntry incident, had a 7-second advantage when the clock was freezed by the race commissaires. As consequence, he conceded the jersey for just one second – but only after climbing one more time to the podium after the finish – even though with one kilometer to go the peloton was closing in on Yates.

 

For Martin, who's sitting in 10th in the general classification, Friday was a day during which he got to test his condition before the big stages which are looming on the horizon:

 

"The guys did a great job, chasing after the dangerous riders in the first break, and then keeping me out of the wind and always in a good position. The team spirit is really fantastic here and you could see that again today. We tried to make a gap on the climb in the final kilometer, but it was hard, because Sky put everybody in the red. I didn't made it today, but the sensations are good for the next stages."

 

 

Julian Alaphilippe: I am sad to lose the white jersey

Also Julian Alaphilippe, who lost the white jersey and dropped one place in the GC, shared his thoughts on stage 7, which concluded the first third of the race:

 

“It was a really fast stage today. At the beginning we chased the breakaway down because we had no one in it. On the Aspin, I felt well. The pace wasn't too high. I managed to stay with the best climbers. I thought I could attack towards the top, not to go for a win but to gain a bit of time on the others, possibly in the downhill. I didn't want to have any regret. Maybe I attacked too early. Sky came across to me but at least it helped me being in the main group atop the col d'Aspin.

 

"It was a very fast behind that first escape which was dangerous for us because Sagan and Cavendish were there so we have made every effort to get them back. And then we continued to ride because with Daniel Martin we wanted to be in the front of the peloton on the final climb.

 

“In the climb, it was a good pace for me. Then 2 kilometers from the finish, I even attacked because I really wanted to start the descent in the first position and why not try something with Dan. Unfortunately I did not have the legs but I held on and I could hold onto the first group.

 

"I do not know at all how it happened in the finale. I was still on the limit after my attack. We turned to the left, everybody screamed, I saw a rider on the ground. It's really weird to have to stop the effort because of a technical problem. After this, it's nobody's fault, but it's a shame.

 

"I'm sad to get this news after the stage, but I was aware this will happen sooner or later. The circumstances were unusual, but there's nothing I can do about it.

 

”I am happy for wearing the jersey for five days, which I see as a great performance for my first Tour de France, and also for paying one more visit to the podium.”

 

"So far, the race has been a great journey and a fantastic experience for me, people began to know me better and to cheer for me during the race, while I got to learn the trade in the Grand Tour peloton. Now I will take things day by day, and although it will be difficult in the high mountains, I will do my best and help Dan Martin there", said Alaphilippe, who is third overall after the first seven stages of the event, making him the best placed French rider in the race.

 

Romain Bardet: I hope to be more at ease in the coming days.

"It was fast today. All the best climbers in the world are at their best. And as the fatigue is not there yet, it is difficult to make a selection. Things will change in the stages with more climbs, Roman Bardet said. “The sensations were not great but good enough to be with the big boys. 
 

”It's not the kind of climb that I like but I got a great position at the bottom of the last climb. With my teammates I could manage it without too much trouble.  It is a day that I feared. I hope to be more at ease in the coming days.”

 

Domenico Pozzovivo: Romain Bardet asked me to attack

 "The day went well. We discussed the climb of Aspin before. When the tempo slowed down, Romain asked me to attack. I was good, so I tried,” Domenico Pozzovivo said.

 

"Because the pace slowed down, I wanted to check the condition and tried to attack. At the top, however, I was caught. In the end it went well.

 

"For the moment I try to be alongside Bardet. Then I think there will be space to do something from afar as I will not go for GC.”

 

Alexis Vuillermoz: I am reassured  

Alexis Vuillermoz was in the break.

 

"I am satisfied to have been at the front of the race early in the day, even if I surprised myself. I could give a hand to Pozzo when he attacked. I also had the teams classification in mind. I came to this Tour with doubts. I am now reassured though I'm still not at my best,” he said.

 

Jan Bakelants: The other teams underestimate Van Avermaet

Jan Bakelants was in the break.

 

"We got away with a lot of strong riders left at an inconvenient time, on a small climb and which was done at a very fast pace. In retrospect, the winner already showed his cards there. It was already clear who to keep an eye on,” he told Sporza

 

"We were allowed to go with Greg the yellow jersey? I thought that was so special that it shows that the other teams underestimate him. It amazes me He even got a few extra minutes which is not bad for him. Now he can hold the jersey until the rest day.

 

"Before the Aspin it was clear that the beak would break into pieces because there were too many rouleurs. To have an opportunity, they needed an advantage. Then there were attacks left and right, but I was not one hundred percent after my crash. So I did not have enough and reacted too late. And when I responded at the bottom of the Aspin, several groups were already ahead me. I tried but I think I only had a small gap on the peloton, maybe three minutes or so. Then they caught me one kilometer from the summit. And this was actually a bit of a long day for nothing.

 

"The crash? It's bad: my knee, my back. That's normal, I would prefer not to fall. That there are opportunities? That's little consolation. You must seize the opportunities as they come, and today the opportunity was there. But we must be realistic: today was a strong breakaway and I am currently not a hundred percent.”

 

Breschel and Langeveld on the attack as part of Cannondale GC plan

Matti Breschel was one of three Canonndale-Drapac riders who fought hard to make the early breakaway on today's stage of the Tour. He told why it was so important to the team to have riders up the road today.

 

"The plan was to get guys as many as possible in the breakaway. We managed to get three riders in a group of nearly 30, so the situation was perfect.

 

"I personally knew that I was there on "borrowed time" but then again you never know what is going to happen. I took the chance of trying to attack before the last climb and managed to get away with two other riders. Unfortunately Steve Cummings came from behind, and no one was able to follow him when he later rode off the front. I tried to hang on the Nibali group, when we entered Col d' Aspin, but the tank was pretty much empty!

 

"I still rode a good tempo up the climb, hoping I could give Pierre [Rolland] a hand before the top. It's always a good tactic to have teammates up the road because cause you never know if the leader needs help with a puncture, closing a gap, or just a fresh bottle of water. Anything like that that could make a different!

 

"By the end of the day, I think we all rode really well today, and Pierre is still up there in a very comfortable position."

 

"We had three riders in the break, but we did not have the right man to win," Sebastian Langeveld told NOS. "That was my teammate Lawson Craddock who should have been there

 

"Our goal was to have to have a rider in the break and get as far as possible to be able to help Rolland on the climb. I was also under no illusions with guys like Nibali, Cummings and Navarro. On Aspin I kept Pierre out of the win for one kilometer and then I rode to the finish very quietly. There will be some hard days.”

 

Oliver Naesen: I knew that I had no chance

IAM had Oliver Naesen in the break.

 

"First there was a group with Cavendish and Sagan, but Quick Step and Lotto did not let them stay away. It was very hard, I think we covered 50 kilometers in the first hour. Then the team asked me to attack a bit. First, we got away with 6-7 riders but then there was a group with Greg, Nibali, Cummings, Cancellara and Martin, riders that that you'd rather not see join such an escape. Then I knew that it was impossible,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.

 

"We didn’t work well together. There were too many lieutenants of big names who sat in the back or in the middle and created gaps. That was annoying. But I also knew I could not do much on the final climb, so I thought that I could work a bit as it could only be good for the others.

”Whether I had fun? It's always reassuring when you can be in the front for such a final climb. “The legs? Every day they are a little worse, but it's not so bad. The plan for the rest of the Tour? Wait and see what will happen this weekend because that is super, super hard. Then I see maybe two chances.”

 

Fabian Cancellara: It’s a lack of respect for the Tour

It took 50 kilometers of racing before a breakaway formed in stage seven Friday, and when 29 men finally broke free, Fabian Cancellara and Jasper Stuyven were represented for Trek-Segafredo.

 

The riders did not work well together, and the disorganization was frustrating explained Fabian Cancellara, who found himself in a Tour de France breakaway for the first time since 2009:

 

"It was actually too many riders and a lot of disorganization. It was strange, people want to go in a break, then when they are in a break they don't pull," said Cancellara. "It's actually disrespectful for the situation, it's not about me, just in general.

 

"And then they stay behind and open gaps. I mean… we are talking about the Tour! It was just chaos, and this is actually what was making me tired. On one climb I was just pulling because if I don't, then they make an accordion. And I hate this accordion."

 

Cancellara was seen at the front of the breakaway often, taking the lead to keep the move rolling. With the Col d'Aspin, a 12-kilometer climb at an average gradient of 6.5%, looming at the end of the 190 kilometers the day belonged to those who can go uphill fast, not to Classics specialists like Cancellara and Stuyven.

 

"I was just cruising, riding, or otherwise, we would never arrive," continued Cancellara. "Too many good guys, too many good climbers. We just needed to keep on going keep on rolling."

 

When asked if the legs are feeling good, Cancellara paused: "Well," he scoffed, "feeling good is being on the beach and having a nice beer!"

 

Bauke Mollema: It was calm before the storm

Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) showed he had the best climbing legs of the large escape group, soloing to the stage win. Meanwhile, in the peloton, Bauke Mollema was aided by Fränk Schleck and Haimar Zubeldia, keeping the team's leader safely protected from the headwind on the long climb.

 

"This stage was the calm before the storm, but the sensations were good," Mollema said, referring to the next two harder stages. "I was surprised that guys like Pinot and Barguil got dropped. In the last kilometer, suddenly we saw Yates lying down at the flamme rouge. Everybody agreed to kind of neutralize the last kilometer."

 

"It was a headwind on the Col d'Aspin. It does not invite to do something. Otherwise, you will waste energy without gaining anything.”

 

Emanuel Buchmann gets confidence in first mountain stage

The plan for BORA – ARGON 18 was again to get into the break of the day, while Emanuel Buchmann and Patrick Konrad should concentrate on the famous last climb of the day and try to stay with the favourites.

 

In the beginning of the stage, 12 riders with Cesare Benedetti from BORA – ARGON 18 could escape from the peloton.  In the counter attack, 29 riders, this time with Paul Voss, managed to go clear. He was caught by the group of favourites just 500m before the KOM. In this group Emanuel Buchmann was fighting hard to stay in touch and Patrick Konrad was about 1 minute behind.

 

Buchmann showed is climbing talent and was just a few seconds behind the favourites over the Aspin. In the descent, he closed the gap and finished with the big names like Froome, Valverde, Quintana, Kreuziger and Mollema. One minute behind this group Patrick Konrad and Paul Voss crossed the line.

 

“In the last 500 meters to the top of the Col d’Aspin I had to drift a little, but after the downhill I rejoined them again. At the end of the day I had much better legs than the day before yesterday. I’m definitely a bit more optimistic than during the past few days and I hope my legs are even better tomorrow,” said Emanuel Buchmann.

 

“In the end it was better than I thought, but 1.5k before the top of the last climb I was dropped from the group and had to go alone in the downhill. I think I like this stage more than the two upcoming stages with several highly categorized climbs. It’s great fun here at Le Tour de France and my mind is still very fresh,” said Patrick Konrad.

 

Wilco Kelderman: It sounds easier than it was

Wilco Kelderman survived the seventh stage of the Tour de France without any damage. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s climber finished the first stage through the Pyrenees in the group with the overall contenders.

Paul Martens was part of the breakaway with Steve Cummings (Team Dimension Data), who attacked solo and won.

 

The stage Friday began with a long fight for the spots in the breakaway.

 

“A group of 12 riders broke away, Cavendish and Sagan were there,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said. “That wasn’t a good situation for the fight for the green jersey, so they got caught, quickly. Afterwards, another war and 29 riders escaped.”

 

“It was good that I was in the break,” German Paul Martens said. “When I looked around, I saw that there were a lot of strong men in the group, so I knew quite fast that I wasn’t going to have a big chance at winning this stage.”

 

Just before the riders reached the Col d’Aspin, the escape quickly fell apart. Martens added:

 

“Our advantage, however, wasn’t big enough for me to be able to finish ahead the main group.”

 

The peloton rode a decent pace on the Col d’Aspin, but a big group of overall favourites managed to stay together.

 

“Wilco Kelderman was well placed in that group,” Zeeman continued. “George Bennett was able to work for him, as well. Wilco was in good position before the descent.”

 

“The boys were supporting me today,” Kelderman said. “I was led out perfectly to the foot of the Col d’Aspin and afterwards, it was up to me to stay in front and monitor what was possible. This turned out to be a warm-up for tomorrow and the day after. It sounds easier than it was, but it went quite well for me.

 

"I saw them suddenly brake in front of me and I think Adam Yates hit the ground hard. I just had to put a foot on the ground. Because of that incident, everyone is at the same time.

 

Dylan Groenewegen came through the first stage in the Pyrenees without problems, as well.

 

“I was part of the gruppetto for the first time,” the sprinter added. “That was quite fun. You’re just riding pace uphill. It doesn’t go too fast, so it’s perfect. I was able to get along easily and from now on, I’m going to approach it day by day.”

 

Rui Costa chooses wrong break in first Pyrenean stage

The 7th stage of the Tour de France was remarkable for Lampre-Merida for three events. Rui Costa was quick in joining a breakaway of 9 riders which went clear from the peloton a few kilometers after the start. The breakaway, despite the good cooperation between the attackers, was caught by the bunch at the 43km mark.

 

"I was aware that the attacks would start in the early kilometers, so I tried to follow one of them and I succeeded in joining a breakaway which appeared to be a good one,” Rui Costa explained. “However, the peloton chased us and neutralized our action: it was a pity, because I had spent energy. For the rest of the stage, I did not want to spend more energy, saving it for the next stages.”

 

A new large breakaway was promoted and this time it was the turn of Tsgabu Grmay and Kristijan Durasek to join it but the Lampre-Merid duo did not succeeded in participating in the battle for the victory.

 

Solid first climbing test for Louis Meintjes

Louis Meintjes spent most part of the day well hidden in the bunch and, when the road began to go upward, he set a good speed which allowed him to be in the GC group. Meintjes was 23rd.

 

"Everything was fine, I had good feelings on the climb, the pace of the group was high, however not so many riders suffered. Let's focus the attention of the two next stages, which will be very demanding,” he said.

 

In the overall classification, the South African rider is 18th at 6'53".

 

Joaquim Rodriguez: The headwind made it impossible

The first of three days in the Pyrenees began with a fast stage 7 topping out on the Col d’Aspin before a 7 km plunge to the finish line in Lac de Payolle. Team Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez was in the field of favorites several minutes behind lone winner Steve Cummings, and maintained his fourth position on the general classification. But yellow jersey Greg Van Avermaet widened his lead by more than one-minute and currently leads the 103rd Tour de France by six-and-a-half minutes.

 

“This was a fast race, especially the first 50 km in the beginning. I was well surrounded by my teammates. They did a good job. Also Vicioso did a good job so I say thanks to Katusha. On the Aspin it was hard to attack due to the hard head wind plus fear for tomorrow,” said Joaquim ‘Purito’ Rodriguez.

 

“It was a fast stage right from the beginning with many attacks and when Van Avermaet went in one of them it was a surprise, but everyone knows that normally he will lose the jersey at some point since he is not a GC rider. Sky and Movistar started pulling and FDJ also helped at the bottom of the Aspin, but there was a headwind and it was too late to catch the break. Plus everyone knows there are two very hard days still to come. Everyone was on the defensive today, just waiting for bigger opportunities tomorrow and on Sunday,” said team director José Azevedo.

 

Rodriguez in fourth at 6:39.

 

Jurgen Van Den Broeck: My legs were not as good as they were in stage 5

“Suddenly we stopped at 1k. Why? First I thought it was a crash, but then I saw the arch had come down. Today my feelings were not as good as previous days, but I could hang on until the end so I have no real complaints. Just in the kilometers before the top I was really suffering. I think the favorites were quiet today because of fear of the upcoming two days,” said team rider Jurgen Van den Broeck.

 

"Why the favorites did not come into action? Because it was just one climb and then a descent. And also because of the race situation. There were still one or two riders in front, the big names could take a risk. But what if they attack and are caught? They might lose more time. And do not forget what comes next two days.”

 

Angel Vicioso: I knew that I had no chance

The 162 km stage started Friday in L’Isle-Jourdain. A large group of 29 riders finally went clear that included Team Katusha’s Angel Vicioso, as well as the yellow jersey and previous winner Vincenzo Nibali of Astana. A group of 4 escaped with Cummings able to mount his attack to earn stage rights at the finish line.

 

“One of us had to be in the break and I was happy I could do it. I never dreamed of anything more. It was important to be in front in case ‘Purito’ had a problem so I could help him. Everything is OK – I feel good and ‘Purito’ feels good,” said team rider Angel Vicioso.

 

Thibaut Pinot: It’s a season that almost goes to crumbs

Thibaut Pinot was the big loser.

 

"I simply didn't have the legs. There's no excuse to look for,” he said. “It's the third time I arrive in the Pyrenees and lose ground. That's it. I find myself with the same sensations as in the Dauphine. I'm not 100 per cent, and in the Tour, you have to be 100 per cent.

 

”Of course, it's a waste. It's a season that almost goes to crumbs. It’s a lot of preparation.The Tour is the highlight of the season and from the first mountain stage, the objective is over.

 

"It is not a matter of preparation. We looked to reach our peak for the Ventoux, but we're not machines. To program a peak it's more easily said than done. We'll see tomorrow. If it's like today, there won't be any surprise. After two kilometers I realized I was not at my best.

 

“It's been several years now that it happens. Like last year, in the first mountain stage, the goal is dead. I do not have the level to follow the best, that's all. We work to be 100% ready and it does not work. As soon as I arrive at the Tour and it's hot, it does not work.

 

The Lioran stage had not reassured me. I was aware that I was on the limit. I thought everyone was, but it was certainly only me.

 

"We'll see tomorrow if the general classification is really over or if I can recover.Tomorrow there is a big mountain stage and it give you the answer. That's all. We'll have to get back and it will not be simple. We will try to achieve the objectives.”

"From the beginning he is not well,” sports director Yvon Madiot told L’Equipe. “We wanted to set a rhythm to prevent an attack.”

"Already in the Dauphiné he was not going as he wished. But he still won a stage because he is a good rider.

 

"We reconsider the ambitions. The objective is now a stage.

 

FDJ manager Marc Madiot told Eurosport.

 

"He certainly was not at his usual level, I do not know the reason. It's a disappointment, but part of life as a cyclist, it cannot happen the way you want every time. We will try to understand what's going on. I have no explanation for now. The idea is to be in position at the foot of the col. In the Tour, we know that things can happen, good or bad, you have to prepare for it. There still things to do, but first you have to find out what's wrong.

 

"Obviously, he was thought to be at another level. Thibaut is not even at an average level for him. You have to understand why. How? Obviously there is a physical concern.”

 

"On Wednesday in Cantal, we saw that he was not great but we were reassured on Thursday in Montauban,” Yvon Madiot added. “I was a little afraid of this scenario at the start this morning. I was scared. Now, he must have moral. He will get through the two stages and then we can reassess thing on the rest day. I think he has a mental fatigue, perhaps even from the Tour de Romandie but in this sport anything can change from one day to another.”

 

Warren Barguil: The most important was not to lose time

Warren Barguil was in some difficulty but during the descent, he managed to catch up with the group to make sure he didn’t lose any time. Barguil managed to finish with the main GC contenders in 40th place and he is now 7th in the overall classification.

 

Warren Barguil said:

 

“I was not so bad today and the team provided me with good support again and positioned me well at the start of the climb. During the ascent, I felt okay but towards the summit, I struggled a bit and I set my own tempo. During the descent, I caught up with the main GC group and I didn’t lose any time which was the most important thing.”

 

Simon Geschke added:

 

“It was a hard struggle to get into the breakaway as it took a long time to establish and it ended being a big group. However, on the Col d’Aspin, my legs weren’t strong enough to stay with the break. So I decided to try and support Warren on the climb.”

 

“Today we had the first real mountain in the stage, the goal was to protect Warren and to have either Simon or Tom [Dumoulin]in a big breakaway,” explained coach Marc Reef. “After a fast start, Simon did a good job to be in the break of 29 riders. At the bottom of the climb, Warren was put in a good position by the team and during the ascent, Simon got caught back by the main bunch. Warren had a difficult moment near the top, but he easily came back during the descent and he finished with the same time as his main GC rivals.”

 

Tom Dumoulin: If I don’t improve, I will be a wet newspaper for the rest of the Tour

"It does not work," Tom Dumoulin told NOS . "I tried to go on the attack, but unfortunately it did not work out. Then I was not good anymore.

 

“I had a hard time just before the Tour and have been also a little bit sick, but now I feel healthy and it just does not work. I usually have to be much closer to the good guys.

 

"If I knew what to do, I would have done it. I need to just get through the next days. I hope it will be better, otherwise I will ride here for three weeks like a wet newspaper. Well, so be it. I can not change anything anymore. I will just do my best every day.”

 

Thomas De Gendt: Tomorrow will be my last day in this jersey

Van Avermaet now has a total of thirteen points, the same as Thomas De Gendt who keeps the polka dot jersey.

 

De Gendt said:

 

“I still have the polka dot jersey because a little bit of luck was on my side, but I'm afraid that tomorrow will be my last day with this jersey. I need great legs to go and get more points. I hope so but I have to be realistic as well. However, I felt much better today than yesterday. It means I have recovered well from my ride at the front on Wednesday.

 

“I was lucky that there were good climbers in the break because I could lose this jersey. I've had luck. Tomorrow is my last day in this jersey even though I might have good legs and go in a breakaway. I would love to have it even longer.

 

“I had to chase in the beginning to close the gap to the break with Cavendish and Sagan, but then I was on my limit. In the beginning of the Aspin, I saved my legs.”