Tour de France 2016 Stage 7: Cummings solos to climb victory, Van Avermaet cements overall lead

Stage 7 of the Tour de France is the first day in the Pyrenees. The race is marked by the climb up Col d'Aspin. Cummings is in the early break and he attacks just before hitting the Aspin. The 35-year old soloes to an impressive victory, while Van Avermaet cements his overall lead, because he was in the early break, too. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 7th stage Tour de France

1. Stephen Cummings (gbr)
2. Daryl Impey (rsa) + 1.04
3. Daniel Navarro (spa) s.t.
4. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.58
5. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) + 2.57
6. Luis Angel Mate (spa) + 3.37
7. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
8. Wout Poels (nld) s.t.
9. Gorka Izagirre (spa) s.t.
10. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.

11. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
13. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
14. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
15. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
16. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
17. Pierre Rolland (fra) s.t.
18. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
20. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
22. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
24. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
25. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
30. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
33. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
40. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.
62. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 7.15
73. Adam Yates (gbr) + 3.30

GC after 7th stage
1. Greg Van Avermaet (bel)
2. Adam Yates (gbr) + 5.50
3. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 5.51
4. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 5.53
5. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 5.54
6. Chris Froome (gbr) + 5.57
7. Nairo Quintana (cl) s.t.
8. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.
9. Pierre Rolland (fra) s.t.
10. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.

11. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
12. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
13. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
14. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
15. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
23. Alberto Contador (spa) + 7.18
24. Richie Porte (aus) + 7.42
27. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 9.12

Race report
One the flag is dropped a group of 12 riders, including Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan and Rui Costa, breaks clear. The pace is high and after 40 kms they are chased down by Etixx-Quick Step and Lotto-Soudal. A little later a group of 29 riders with yellow jersey Van Avermaet, Cummings and Nibali takes off. They race to a maximum lead at almost 6 minutes.

When the lead gets down to 3 minutes Breschel, Navarro and Duchesne give it a go. Cummings joins them. The acceleration puts 2 more minutes into the peloton.

With 27 kms to go Cummings goes solo, while Van Avermaet, Nibali, Martens, Lutsenko, Howes, Geschke, Impey and Périchon join the chasers. At the lower slopes of the Aspin Nibali speeds up with Van Avermaet, Howes, Navarro and Impey on his wheel. Van Avermaet and Howes are dropped with 15 kms left, while Navarro and Impey leave Nibali alone in the last kms under the top.

In the peloton Thibaut Pinot has to let go when Pozzovivo accelerates.

At the top Cummings is more than 1 minute ahead of Navarro and Impey. Van Avermaet is 2 minutes down, the peloton crests after 4 minutes.

Cummings soloes to an impressive victory ahead of Impey and Navarrro.

Adam Yates attacks in the finale, but he is hindered by the 1 km sign that comes tumbling down. The organization grants him the time he is ahead of the peloton, which catapults him into second place and into the white jersey for best young rider.