The expected fireworks on the first major climb of this year s Tour, the Col d Aspin, never materialised, with two more tough Pyrenean stages to come over the weekend. “The Tour is the Tour, it s special”, said Cummings. I got in the break twice past year and the first hour and a half it was [aerobic] threshold efforts. This is what they brought me to the Tour for’.
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“It’s brilliant, it’s fantastic”. The idea was that Navarro will cook himself before the climb, so I put pressure on Astana to chase behind. “Team Dimension Data have given me the freedom and opportunity and belief”.
Cummings broke away from three other riders – including Dani Navarro – with 25 kilometres to go. “I just wanted to go for it, the shape is really good and I’m happy to have another day”.
Cummings, who won a stage a year ago, said: “I’m ecstatic for the team – it was a brilliant day”. “But I committed to my decision to ride my tempo till the end”.
An “ecstatic” Steve Cummings made a late bid for an Olympic place by storming to the second Tour de France stage win of his career. “They’re the experts and they know what they’re doing so I’ll let them get on with it”.
“I did not plan to be in a breakaway”, Van Avermaet said.
It is also Cummings second Tour stage win following another breakaway victory a year ago.
Chris Froome is still the favourite to win the Tour.
Belgium’s Greg van Avermaet, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, speeds down Aspin pass during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 162.5 kilometers (100.7 miles) with start in L’Isle-Jourdain and finish in Lac de Payolle, France, Friday, July 8, 2016. Nibali and Van Avermaet were fourth and fifth.
Van Avermaet actually extended his overall lead; none of the serious GC contenders were willing to chase him, knowing that Saturday’s and Sunday’s stages will be exponentially more hard and decisive.
The British rider was suddenly performing a somersault in midair after an inflatable arch marking the final kilometer collapsed and hit him during a weird finale to Friday’s seventh stage.
He was even humble enough to admit the stage was supposed to be one for the Norwegian – another former Team Sky rider to have been revitalised by his move to the African team. The eighth stage covers four passes including the Tourmalet and Peyresourde before it finishes in finishes in Bagnères-de-Luchon. However, the last climb, the Cat 1 Col de Peyresourdes, peaks 15 km from the finish. I’d imagine we’ll see bigger time gaps tomorrow.
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Yates therefore sits second in the general classification and holds the white jersey for best young rider ahead of Saturday’s eighth stage. On yesterday’s stage he finished third, and was accelerating towards Cavendish.
