With a clever attack at the sprint point on Stage 7, Stephen Cummings broke free from a big breakaway group and couldn’t be chased down up and over the Col d’Aspin. The Tour de France stage win was Cummings’ second ever, after he won Stage 14 last year. It was also the fourth win in seven tries for Team Dimension Data, as well as for Great Britain.
Tour de France standings 2016: Stephen Cummings solos to win first Pyrenean stage
Stephen Cummings turned in a magnificent solo effort to win opening stage of the Pyrenees. The win was somewhat overshadowed when the 1-kilometer banner deflated as the peloton was riding through and Adam Yates was hurt.
After 50 kilometers, a big breakaway group of 29 riders had formed that included the yellow jersey hold Greg Van Avermaet. After the first climb, three riders -- Daniel Navarro, Matti Breschel and Antoine Duschene jumped out of the the bigger break. Van Avermaet chased that separate break with 37 kilometers to go, seemingly determined to keep the yellow jersey on his back.
Stephen Cummings shot off the front at the sprint point. The chase behind him became Vincenzo Nibali, Daryl Impey and Navarro, with Van Avermaet falling just off but nobly in pursuit. Nibali made prodding attacks to close the gap, but he couldn’t lose his Impey and Navarro, and all the while Cummings increased his lead over the chasers, with a roughly one minute lead at the summit of Col d’Aspin.
With fewer than two kilometers to the top, Navarro and Impey left Nibali, who tested his legs and learned he isn’t in his usual high Grand Tour form. Van Avermaet topped the Col d’Aspin in fifth place on the stage, and just under two minutes ahead of the peloton containing the GC favorites, ensuring he would add to his lead on the general classification.
The stage was marred by a bizarre moment near the finish when the 1-kilometer to go banner somehow deflated in front of the peloton. Adam Yates appeared to be the only rider seriously affected by it. The 23-year-old had broken away from the peloton seemingly in pursuit of time and fell. It appears he may have injured his chin, but Orica-BikeExchange’s communications director tweeted that Yates was otherwise “OK.” All riders were given the same time on the stage relative to their positions at three kilometers to go.
Flamme rouge punctures pic.twitter.com/ymG9jni6BL
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) July 8, 2016
France’s Thibaut Pinot was the day’s biggest loser. He entered the 2016 Tour de France as a presumed yellow jersey contender, but he fell apart midway up the first Category 1 of the Tour, falling off the back to lose nearly three minutes to the peloton and what could be insurmountable time to his rivals.
Tour de France Stage 7 top 10 (standings updated to reflect adjustment)
1. Stephen Cummings - 3h 51’58”
2. Daryl Impey + 1’04”
3. Daniel Navarro + 1’04”
4. Vincenzo Nibali + 1’58”
5. Greg Van Avermaet + 2’57”
6. Luis Angel Mate + 3’37”
7. Geraint Thomas + 3’37”
8. Wouter Poels + 3’37”
9. Gorka Izaguirre + 3’37”
10. Alejandro Valverde + 3’37”
Tour de France general classification top 10
1. Greg Van Avermaet
2. Adam Yates + 5’50”
2. Julian Alaphilippe + 5’51”
3. Alejandro Valverde + 5’53”
4. Joaquim Rodriguez + 5’54”
5. Chris Froome + 5’57”
6. Nairo Quintana + 5’57”
7. Warren Barguil + 5’57”
8. Pierre Rolland + 5’57”
10. Daniel Martin + 5’57”
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