BORDEAUX — For a few seconds, with Mark Cavendish leading less than 100 yards from the line, fans really believed the Brit was going to make history.
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Invisible, or nearly so, the rocket emerged from the Isle of Man on the far right before hurtling towards a dozen cyclists with breathtaking acceleration that suggested a victory by more than a bike length.
However, Jasper Philipsen managed to skip his bike by pushing Biniam Girmay aside while his opponent Cavendish, who was losing power, took a split second to get back in his saddle while the Belgian rider still had gas in the tank had. Third, the Eritrean seemed embarrassed near the cordon, but the complaint was ruled inadmissible.
Biniam Girmay’s teammate Lilian Calmejane protested, as did Astana director Alexandre Vinokourov.
Luca Mozzato and Dylan Groenewegen follow in fourth and fifth place respectively.
A fatal blow
The last 50 meters were therefore devastating for the cyclist from Astana, who has to wait to become the biggest stage winner of the Tour by surpassing the great Eddy Merckx. Will he manage to reach his last goal before retirement?
Between Mont-de-Marsan and Bordeaux, after this royal statement, Philipsen saw three finger pointings at the photographers in front of an incredible crowd on the Place des Quinconces. Since the latter has been unbeatable so far, the qualifying rounds are getting tight.
When it’s obvious that the green jersey wearer is the fastest in the world today, Cavendish could have doubts after a near-perfect shot. The extraordinary Alpecin-Deceuninck train is reminiscent of the train that once used Cavendish between 2008 and 2011 in Columbia and HTC-Highroad.
A dream start
“It’s a dream start to the tour for me. Mark Cavendish was very strong. I would have liked to see him win like everyone else and I’m sure he will persevere. He’s in top form. But when I saw him attack, I knew we had to react immediately,” replied Philipsen.
AFP
According to the profile viewed from here on the Champs-Élysées, the Belgian should not surpass the personal high of Cavendish, winner of six stages in 2009. Only Merckx, Maertens and Pélissier have done better with eight stages in another era.
Jonas Vingegaard was a worrying sign for the future, saying he’s feeling better and better. Despite the stifling heat of over 34°C, the Dane certainly wanted to play in the minds of his opponents.
psychological warfare
“Morale is good. If someone had told me that after seven stages I would be 25 seconds ahead of Pogacar in the yellow jersey, I might not have believed it. And the steps that suit me best are yet to come,” he said.
In this psychological war, Pogacar reacted quickly. “I think I have a good chance. The road to Paris is long and I have to keep the same legs.
Earlier in the day, Simon Guglielmi’s lone escape and attempted counterattacks by Nan Peters and Pierre Latour were doomed despite good performances.
Philipsen’s chances of success will be slimmer this Saturday in Limoges. This stage, classified as hilly, ends with a final kilometer that’s slightly uphill, which perhaps favors a different scenario with a rider like Wout Van Aert or Caleb Ewan.
Ranking of the 7the stage
Overall ranking after the 7th stage
32 – Michael Woods (CAN/IPT) 24:32
65 – Hugo Houle (CAN/IPT) 52:15
124—Guillaume Boivin. 1:25:15
- Yellow jersey: Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma)
- Green jersey: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Polka Dot Jersey: Neilson Pawless (EF)
- White jersey: Tadej Pogacar (UAE)
In summary
-Jasper Philipsen is the first Belgian rider to win three times in the first seven days of the Tour since the legend Freddy Maertens in 1976. The last rider to win four times in the first week was Mario Cipollini in 1999.
-It’s not the record he’s aiming for, but Mark Cavendish did top speed in the final kilometer with a top speed of 74.7km/h.
-This seventh stage is the fastest of the 2023 Tour. The speed has increased significantly throughout the day, reaching an average of 45 km/h over 169.9 km. The last 20 kilometers were covered at 58.8 km/h.
-The finish will be judged in Limoges on Saturday. In 2016, Le Journal was at the same place for Marcel Kittel’s victory with a tire gap that denied Bryan Coquard, Antoine Duchesne’s then-Direct Énergie teammate, a first win on the Tour. Seven years later, Coquard, still eighth in Bordeaux, is still waiting for his first bouquet.
– Needless to say, what the media received in Bordeaux, on the Place de la Bourse, on the facade of the Garonne quays. The corkscrew was not included.