Tour de France 2021: stage seven – live!

Given that temperatures are around 25 degrees, the riders will be pleased to know that there’s officially now less than 200km remaining!

I had a quick check of the stage 7 betting pre-race and van Aert was around 12/1 third favourite to take it. Mathieu van der Poel fronted the betting at 7/1, with Julian Alaphilippe 10/1. All three have been involved in the early skirmishes. For the record Cavendish was 400/1; that 33rd win will have to wait for now.

On the subject of Cav, Andrew Benton writes: “It’s super to see Mark Cavendish back in roistering form – and aside from anything else, he’s probably the only Brit with any chance of a podium glory this year. Do you think he’ll reach or beat Merckx’s record of 34 tour stage wins this tour? It’s so brilliant that Intermarché has a team! I still remember the jingles in the supermarkets on hols with my parents in the ‘80s – vive le shopping.”

I remember too. And also the odd mix of thrill and crushing embarrassment at seeing porn videos brazenly on display near the checkout.

As for Cavendish beating Big Ed’s record, here’s the breakdown by year of his 32 stage wins so far:

2008 – 4
2009 – 6
2010 – 5
2011 – 5
2012 – 3
2013 – 2
2014 – 1
2016 – 4
2021 – 2 and counting

When he gets on a roll, Cavendish can certainly rack them up. He won’t be adding that tally today (not in the plans) but there are plenty of opportunities between now and July 18.

The green jersey, points classification:

1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) Deceuninck – Quick-Step 148
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin – Fenix 102
3. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA) Team Arkéa – Samsic 99
4. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 96
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck – Quick-Step 84
6. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin – Fenix 78
7. Peter Sagan (SVK) BORA – hansgrohe 72
8. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA) Bahrain Victorious 66
9. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 64
10. Tim Merlier (BEL) Alpecin – Fenix 62
11. Arnaud Démare (FRA) Groupama – FDJ 51
12. Primoz Roglic (SLO) Jumbo – Visma 49
13. Michael Mørkøv (DEN) Deceuninck – Quick-Step 41
14. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM 38
15. Wilco Kelderman (NED) BORA – hansgrohe 34
16. Ide Schelling (NED) BORA – hansgrohe 31
17. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Jumbo – Visma
18. Wout van Aert (BEL) Jumbo – Visma 25
19. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek – Segafredo 22
20. Edward Theuns (BEL) Trek – Segafredo 20

A reminder of the GC standings:

1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin – Fenix 20:09:17
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates +8
3. Wout van Aert (BEL) Jumbo – Visma +30
4. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck – Quick-Step +48
5. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana – Premier Tech +1:21
6. Pierre Latour (FRA) TotalEnergies +1:28
7. Rigoberto Urán (COL) EF Education – Nippo +1:29
8. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Jumbo – Visma +1:43
9. Richard Carapaz (ECU) INEOS Grenadiers +1:44
10. Primoz Roglic (SLO) Jumbo – Visma +1:48
11. Kasper Asgreen (DEN) Deceuninck – Quick-Step +1:49
12. Geraint Thomas (GBR) INEOS Grenadiers +1:54
13. Wilco Kelderman (NED) BORA – hansgrohe +1:56
14. Enric Mas (ESP) Movistar Team +1:58
15. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek – Segafredo +2:08
16. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) Astana – Premier Tech +2:16
17. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama – FDJ +2:35
18. Nairo Quintana (COL) Team Arkéa – Samsic +2:45
19. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Trek – Segafredo +2:55
20. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious +3:24

A good luck message to Tadej Pogacar from another member of Slovenian sporting royalty, Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

230km to go: Early attacks from Mads Pedersen, Magnus Cort, Victor Campenaerts and Harry Sweeny are quickly swept up. But Jonas Koch (Intermarché) has now gone clear.

It was another memorable afternoon for Mark Cavendish on Thursday. Here’s Jeremy Whittle’s report from stage 6 as the Manx Missile secured an incredible 32nd stage win – just two shy of Eddy Merckx’s record.

Good morning. Bonjour. Welcome to stage 7 of the Tour de France. Sport has gone into a mini time warp in recent days with Andy Murray lighting up Centre Court and Mark Cavendish winning not one but two stages of this year’s Tour de France. Hmmm, if this all seems a bit 2012 perhaps I should have a bet on Spain winning Euro 2020.

After endless fields of wheat footage yesterday and the stage 5 time-trial on Wednesday, we’re off into the hills for stage 7. Vierzon – Le Creushot measures in at a hefty 249.1km, the longest stage of this year’s race and, indeed, the longest in any TDF for 21 years. Relax, sit back and enjoy.