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Here’s Jeremy Whittle’s stage report:
Ultimately a very exciting finish … but also very disappointing for anyone hoping that Mark Cavendish would make history today with his 35th Tour de France stage win. He came very, very close but an issue with his gears meant he lost crucial speed when he was at the front, and closing in a repeat of his Bordeaux victory in 2010. Thanks for reading, emailing, tweeting etc. … and see you soon for more.
Mark Cavendish speaks to Matt Stephens on Eurosport about the final sprint: “I was in quite a good position. It looked like I was far back, but I was OK, in where I wanted to be. It’s a long, straight finish. [Teammate] Cees [Bol] had moved me up with good speed into the last kilometre. I was on the right wheels.
“I kicked a little earlier than I’d like, but actually, still about the same time as I did in 2010. … Once I kicked, I started, the gears jumped from the 11 to the 12, I had to sit down. Cadence just whacks up. Then it goes back to the 11th, I tried to stand up. I needed to sit down. There was nothing you could do except, like, kind of hope.
“I’m bitterly disappointed there. Really majorly disappointed. But we keep on trying … we can be positive.”
What’s the difference between racing now and in 2008? “Most of the people racing then are maybe granddads now [Laughs] … What can I do? I’m sorry I can’t be a bit more positive about it. I’m bitterly disappointed.”
Mads Pedersen (Trek–Segafredo) speaks to Eurosport: “We did a decent job. But I chose the wrong side to pass Mathieu [on the finish straight]. I had to stop, and go again, and lost all momentum. It was a stupid mistake. Another chance tomorrow … the Tour’s not over.”
Pogacar speaks to ITV: “Another day ticked off … we were flying in the last 30, 40km.”
He is then asked if being second in GC is better than first, at this early stage of the race.
“I think yes.”
In the end, with the one-man break becoming a three-man break, it was an exciting end to the stage that had begun so quietly. Peters and Latour put up a great fight when they escape group was down to two.
On ITV, Marcel Kittel is on pundit duty with Peter Kennaugh. No one on their panel seems to be suggesting any mechanical or other issue for Cavendish, they think he just knew he was beaten by the faster man, and that was why he appeared to admit defeat before they got to the finish line.
We’ll have Jeremy Whittle’s stage report coming up shortly. And I’ll bring you as much reaction as possible.
Michael Morkov, lead-out man for Soudal–Quick-Step, speaks: “It was a big mess. It was difficult to keep Fabio [Jaksoben] with me … I didn’t see the sprint, myself … Fabio looked really good today and we had confidence in him.”
Jakobsen was 15th.
Waiting/hoping to hear from Cavendish …
Looking at the overhead video again, it definitely appears that Cavendish had some kind of mechanical issue when he was in front. He seemed to sit down from a full-one sprint and lose speed once he went past Philipsen et al and appeared to have the finish line at his mercy.
Meanwhile, here’s a video from the finish straight:
Philipsen speaks, wearing the green jersey. “I’m super happy and proud … I was always in a good wheel … I never had to do a big effort before I launched my sprint … I can’t believe it. If you’d told me this one week ago [three stages] I’d have said you’re crazy. So far, it’s a dream tour … from now on, I am looking to Paris also.”
On Cavendish: “He was really strong, I would also have loved to see him win … I think everybody … but for sure he will keep on trying, he’s up there, he’s in good condition.”
Did Cavendish have a problem with his gears?
Looked like Cav had a problem with his gears or something, he seemed to kick/jump with about 200m to go and then seemed to be spinning in too small a gear at the finish
— Ian (@cyclingbetting) July 7, 2023When Cavendish emerged, seemingly from nowhere, to hit the front, my eyes popped out of my head. It was there for him. Adam Blythe, a Eurosport pundit, thinks he may have had a mechanical. It did seem like Cavendish admitted defeat early. But perhaps that was simply that he knew Philipsen had superior pace. Hopefully we’ll hear from him soon …
Stage seven result
1. Jasper Philipsen
2. Mark Cavendish
3. Biniam Girmay
4. Luca Mozzato
5. Dylan Groenewegen
Jonas Vingegaard keeps the yellow jersey.
On Eurosport commentary, Sean Kelly says Cavendish did everything right, but Philipsen was just too strong. And that is right. It was such a brilliant sprint by Cavendish. Perhaps he may feel that he could have jumped a bit later, and not given Philipsen enough road to recover. But that is all too easy to say from here. He saw his chance and went for it. And he nearly, so nearly became the leading stage winner in Tour de France history …
That was insane. But ultimately so disappointing for Cavendish … he appeared to be totally out of position with about 800m to go. But the Manxman emerged on the right-hand side of the road, and surged into the lead with perhaps 100m remaining … it looked like Cavendish was going to clinch it, but Philipsen then got in his slipstream, and accelerated past him for his third win of the race. Heartbreak for Cavendish, and for any of us who were hoping he’d make history today.
Jasper Philipsen wins stage seven! Agony for Cavendish!
Oh my. Cavendish so nearly had it …
1.5km to go: Not sure where Cavendish is but he does not appear to be prominent. I think he’s about 20th wheel.
2km to go: A long, sweeping right-hander. Thankfully the bunch got through that technical section with no mishaps.
3.5km to go: Latour is caught. Jumbo-Visma are up front. Vingegaard is second wheel. Which is surprising, a bit, if the “3km” rule was at 3.6km. They are well inside that now.
4km to go: Aaaaaand it’s 4sec for Latour. It’s about to be back together.
6km to go: Van Aert has been dropped by the bunch. At the front, Latour drops Peters and strikes out alone, on what looks to be a doomed attempt to stay away. Peters in fact gives him a little pat on the back as he heads off alone. I am not sure if Peters had a mechanical there. Anyway, Latour is giving it everything, smashing his feet on the pedals.
7km to go: Who will be popping the champagne at dinner tonight? Nerves are doubtless rising among the Cavendish fans everywhere …
8km to go: The peloton negotiates a roundabout, culminating in a left-hand turn on the road to Bordeaux, just 10sec for the break now.
9km to go: Now 17sec for the bunch. We’ll be all back together in a little while … The TV helicopter overs over the Garonne.
This is the 81st time that the Tour de France has visited Bordeaux, second only to Paris.
10km to go: Ramon Sinkeldam puts in a monster turn at the front of the bunch for Alpecin–Deceuninck. He flicks his right elbow and asks someone else to come through. The gap is still falling, but not all that fast. It’s 27sec now. Chapeau to the duo up front, but they are going to get reeled in.
13km to go: It looks pan flat on the stage profile but Carlton Kirby reliably informs us on Eurosport that this stretch of the route is not, in fact, pan flat. You can see indeed that the road is going up and down a touch.
Anyway, one of the Eurosport reporters who is by the finish says there are some cobbles, and a speed bump to deal with, and that it’s “like an oven” in Bordeaux.
The gap is 33sec. The days for this break are numbered.
16km to go: Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) does a big turn in front of his fellow breakaway rider, Nans Peters (AG2R Citroën).
18km to go: The gap is down to 40”. Lotto Dstny riders are now more visible at the front of the bunch, working for Caleb Ewan.
21km to go: The camera focuses on the two-man break, Peters and Latour, giving it everything to try and stay away. There are two sharp right-hand turns coming up with about 3km to go: the route runs alongside the Garonne river in Bordeaux, sharp right, sharp right again, over the bridge and along the opposite side …
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