2012 Tour de France, Stage 7 Results

Sky Procycling has been the leader of the team classification since the prologue in Liège and it delivered another stunning blow at La Planches des Belles Billes in stage seven as it shredded the peloton to pieces with an infernal pace up to the mountain top finish. Christopher Froome won the stage, Bradley Wiggins took the yellow jersey after coming in third behind Cadel Evans (both in same time, 2 seconds from Froome). Vincenzo Nibali came in fourth at 0:00:07 and Rein Taaramae ( Cofidis) was fifth at 0:00:19. After that there were big gaps as riders made it to the finish.

The collective strength of the British team, now with Wiggins, Froome, and Michael Rogers in the top 10 overall, has somewhat killed the suspense with two weeks yet to go before the finish of the Tour.

The Tour is well and truly in climbing territory now and we've seen what we can expect from the British Sky team. The dominance by Bradley Wiggins and his team-mates going up the steep road to La Planche des Belles Filles was a confirmation of what many expected once the Tour got to the start of the second week.

Sky has made such an impression and survived the first week (save for the casualty of Kanstantsin Sivtsov) with such panache that it will almost frighten the other teams from trying anything against them. Cadel Evans, however, showed that he's willing to take them on and he offered a glimpse of his form with his impressive ride up the final climb of stage seven. But even when he tried to win the stage, he was overtaken by another Sky rider. It reminds us that he can't wait until the last minute.

As impressive as it was, the fact that Wiggins now leads the Tour puts plenty of responsibility on the Sky team and this could become particularly stressful as there's still a long way to go to Paris. He has demonstrated that his troops are up to the task at several races already this season but this is the first time they're defending the lead of the Tour de France... it's a daunting task but they seem ready to manage the volley of shots that is likely to come from other favorites.

One of those favorites is Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale), now third in GC, 16” from Wiggins and 6” from Evans. "I’m satisfied after this first test," explained Nibali at the finish line. "On the map it seemed quite easy but Team Sky’s high rhythm made it very hard. I only had to follow their wheels and in the final straight I had no chance to sprint, even if I wanted try. Honestly, I didn’t expect such a strong selection in the group. Compliments to Team Sky for their work."

Ivan Basso, finishing at 2"53" said, "Today’s stage was really hard, more so than we can expected. Vincenzo was pretty good to be in the first group. It was a positive day for us and this encourages us to continue to support Vincenzo in his challenge."

Peter Sagan's view: “Vincenzo has moved up to third place in the general classification and this is good for our team. I'm not sure what Nibali has to do now to beat Wiggins. The Tour de France is a very long race and Vincenzo may get stronger in the second and third weeks.”

Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) finished 2'05" behind Froome after falling off from the lead group with 3.5 km to go. "The contusions that were caused by yesterday's crash didn't let me sleep well and today gave me pain during the stage," Scarponi explained. "Sky imposed a very demanding pace, I could not follow them in a tough section so I chose to ride at a lower rhythm trying to limit the gap. I hope the pain will stop soon so I can make some moves in stages that are better suited to me."

Note: eight riders did not start today, and one retired:
DNS: GUTIERREZ José Ivan, ERVITI Imanol, WYNANTS Maarten, FREIRE Oscar, DUPONT Hubert, HUNTER Robert, HESJEDAL Ryder, TXURRUKA Amets
Withdrew: DELAPLACE Anthony
181 riders remain in the race; 198 started.

Tomorrow: Stage 8, Belfort- Porrentruy , 157.5 km. TdF analysis by Jean-François Pescheux:
"In my opinion, this could very well end up being the key stage of the Tour! The course is just 157 km long, but it has been designed to promote attacks and comebacks. If a favourite loses three minutes on the previous day's final climb, he will get the chance to make amends on this stage. There is a succession of six climbs, including the Col de la Croix a mere 16 km from the finish. This 3.7 km climb with an average gradient of 9.2% is a terrific launch pad! In short, this course is reminiscent of the one in Les Rousses, where Sylvain Chavanel stole the show two years ago."

GC:
1 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 34:21:20
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:10
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:16
4 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:00:32
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:54
6 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:59
7 Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 0:01:09
8 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:22
9 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:01:32
10 Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:01:40
11 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 0:01:43
12 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:02
13 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:02:11
14 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:02:22
15 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 0:02:25
16 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:02:29
17 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team 0:03:04
18 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:03:09
19 Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack-Nissan 0:03:13
20 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
21 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:03:19
22 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team 0:03:26
23 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:03:27
24 Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan 0:03:39
25 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:03:42
26 Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 0:03:43
27 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:03:47
28 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:04:07
29 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:04:10
30 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:04:36
31 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:04:38
32 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:04:48
33 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
34 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:04:50
35 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
36 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:05:16
37 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:05:33
38 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:06:26
39 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:06:57
40 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:08:45
41 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:08:51
42 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar 0:08:52
43 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:09:02
44 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:09:12
45 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:09:40
46 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:10:18
47 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:10:24
48 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:10:39
49 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:11:28
50 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:11:41
51 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:12:11
52 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:12:26
53 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:12:30
54 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 0:12:40
55 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:12:44
56 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:12:57
57 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
58 Jorge Azanza Soto (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:13:27
59 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:13:39
60 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:14:21
61 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:14:26
62 Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:14:56
63 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol Team 0:15:04
64 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:15:44
65 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:16:13
66 Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar 0:16:17
67 Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:16:19
68 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:16:25
69 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:16:26
70 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team 0:16:46
71 Baden Cooke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:16:58
72 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:17:53
73 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:17:59
74 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 0:18:07
75 Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:18:25
76 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:18:36
77 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:18:38
78 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:18:39
79 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:18:48
80 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team 0:19:00
81 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:19:34
82 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre - ISD 0:19:52
83 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:19:54
84 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:19:57
85 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:20:15
86 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp 0:20:18
87 Alexandr Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:20:52
88 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:20:55
89 Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:20:59
90 Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling 0:21:11
91 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:21:12
92 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:21:13
93 Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano 0:21:16
94 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team
95 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team 0:21:20
96 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
97 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team 0:21:25
98 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:21:29
99 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol Team 0:21:35
100 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar 0:21:42
101 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:21:49
102 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:21:55
103 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:23:08
104 Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:23:21
105 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:23:36
106 Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:23:48
107 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:23:50
108 Federico Canuti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:24:02
109 Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team 0:24:23
110 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 0:24:39
111 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
112 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar Team 0:24:45
113 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar 0:24:56
114 Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:25:01
115 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) RadioShack-Nissan 0:25:08
116 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar 0:25:18
117 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:25:21
118 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:25:41
119 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:25:49
120 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:26:01
121 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:26:13
122 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling 0:26:24
123 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team 0:26:30
124 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:26:35
125 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team 0:26:45
126 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:27:06
127 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:27:21
128 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:27:27
129 Christophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar 0:27:28
130 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Sharp 0:27:29
131 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:27:34
132 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:27:35
133 Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:27:37
134 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:27:58
135 Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:28:27
136 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:28:33
137 Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:28:38
138 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:28:43
139 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:28:46
140 Juan Horrach Rippoll (Spa) Katusha Team
141 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:28:47
142 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Sharp 0:28:57
143 Roy Curvers (Ned) Argos-Shimano 0:29:19
144 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:29:50
145 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ-Big Mat 0:29:52
146 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:30:06
147 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Lampre - ISD 0:30:41
148 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:32:06
149 Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:32:15
150 Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:32:46
151 Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar 0:32:59
152 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team 0:33:27
153 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:33:37
154 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:33:40
155 Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:33:55
156 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:34:53
157 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Argos-Shimano 0:34:54
158 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano 0:35:32
159 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Sharp 0:35:40
160 Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) Lampre - ISD 0:36:15
161 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:36:31
162 Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:37:27
163 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team 0:37:47
164 Tom Veelers (Ned) Argos-Shimano 0:38:14
165 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Movistar Team 0:38:35
166 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-Shimano 0:38:36
167 Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:39:10
168 Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISD 0:39:31
169 Yann Huguet (Fra) Argos-Shimano 0:39:55
170 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:40:18
171 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:40:35
172 Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:40:54
173 Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:42:36
174 Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:43:31
175 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:45:18
176 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:45:40
177 Albert Timmer (Ned) Argos-Shimano 0:46:16
178 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp 0:46:32
179 Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin - Sharp 0:47:01
180 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:54:47
181 Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:55:24

Photos: Bettini; Wiggins: Sirotti

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