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Stage 7, Saturday, July 7: Tomblaine - La Planche des Belles Filles, 199 km. Medium mountains

Rated Climbs:

• Km 112.0: Col de Grosse Pierre, 3.1 @ 6.4% - Category 3
• Km 150.5: Col du Mont de Fourche (620 m), 3.1 km @ 6.4% - Category 3
• Km 199.0: La Planche des Belles Filles, 5.9 km @ 8.5% (final meters are 14%) - Category 1

The Race: The day's break was caught as the final climb, La Planche des Belles Filles, began to bite. Sky's Edvald Bossan Hagen set a furious pace on the climb's lower slopes and shelled may riders. But it was Sky's next rider, Christopher Froome, who probably changed the entire complexion of the Tour when he broke the legs of all but eight riders. There were surprising losers today. Pierre Rolland struggled and Denis Menchov and Frank Schleck looked to have their Tour chances reduced. Jurgen van den Broeck and Alejandro Valverde had mechanicals just before the climb.

Before the final turn Cadel Evans attacked. Froome was able to pass him while Bradley Wiggins held his wheel. Froome surged for the win and Wiggins became the new Yellow Jersey.

Fabian Cancellara gave it a go, but the steepness of the hill was too much for the big guy.

Results:

1. Christopher Froome (Sky) 4hr 58min 35sec. 40.0 km/hr
2. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 2sec
3. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) s.t.
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) @ 7sec
5. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) @ 19sec
6. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 44sec
7. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) @ 46sec
8. Janez Brajkovic (Astana) s.t.
9. Denis Menchov (Katusha) @ 50sec
10. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 56sec
11. Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 1min 6sec
12. Frank Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 1min 9sec
13. Richie Porte (Sky) @ 1min 14sec
14. Michael Rogers (Sky) @ 1min 24sec
15. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
16. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 1min 31sec
17. Daniel Martin (Garmin-Sharp) @ 1min 39sec
18. Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel) s.t.
19. Tony Gallopin (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 1min 44sec
20. Fabian Cancellara (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 1min 52sec
21. Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
22. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
23. Rui Alberto Faria-Da Costa (Movistar) s.t.
24. Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) @ 2min 5sec
25. Michele Scarponi (Lampre) s.t.
26. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 2min 17sec
27. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) @ 2min 19sec
28. Rafael Valls (Vacansoleil) s.t.
29. Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) s.t.
30. Christopher Horner (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
31. Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
32. Andréas Klöden (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
33. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 2min 24sec
34. Vasili Kiryienka (Movistar) @ 2min 32sec
35. Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 2min 50sec
36. Gianpaolo Caruso (Katusha) @ 2min 53sec
37. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) s.t.
38. Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) s.t.
39. Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
40. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.
41. Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) s.t.
42. Robert Kiserlovski (Astana) s.t.
43. Brice Feillu (Saur-Sojasun) @ 3min 3sec
44. Jérôme Coppel (Saur-Sojasun) s.t.
45. Marco Marzano (Lampre) s.t.
46. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 3min 8sec
47. Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) @ 3min 11sec
48. Levi Lepheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
49. VLadimir Gusev (Katusha) s.t.
50. Chris Anker Sorensen (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 3min 41sec

General Classification: 1,417.5 km raced so far at an average speed of 41.26 km/hr

1. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) 34hr 21min 20sec
2. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 10sec
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) @ 16sec
4. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) @ 32sec
5. Denis Menchov (Katusha) @ 54sec
6. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 59sec
7. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 1min 9sec
8. Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) @ 1min 22sec
9. Christopher Froome (Sky) @ 1min 32sec
10. Michael Rogers (Sky) @ 1min 40sec
11. Fabian Cancellara (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 1min 43sec
12. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) 2 2min 2sec
13. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) @ 2min 11sec
14. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 2min 22sec
15. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Movistar) @ 2min 25sec
16. Andréas Klöden (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 2min 29sec
17. Janez Brajkovic (Astana) @ 3min 4sec
18. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 3min 9sec
19. Tony Gallppin (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 3min 13sec
20. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.
21. Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) @ 3min 19sec
22. Vladimir Gusev (Katusha) @ 3min 26sec
23. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) @ 3min 27sec
24. Christopher Horner (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 3min 39sec
25. Jérôme Coppel (Saur-Sojasun) @ 3min 42sec
26. Fran Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 3min 43saec
27. Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 3min 47sec
28. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) @ 4min 7sec
29. Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel) @ 4min 10sec
30. Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) @ 4min 36sec
31. Michele Scarponi (Lampre) @ 4min 38sec
32. Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Belisol) @ 4min 48sec
33. Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil) s.t.
34. Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 4min 50sec
35. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) s.t.
36. Rafael Valls (Vacansoleil) @ 5min 16sec
37. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) @ 5min 33sec
38. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r) @ 6min 26sec
39. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) @ 6min 57sec
40. Chris Anker Sorensen (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 8min 45sec
41. Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank) @ 8min 51sec
42. Davide Malacarne (Europecar) @ 8min 52sec
43. Christopher Riblon (Ag2r) @ 9min 2sec
44. Rémy Di Gregorio (Cofidis) @ 9min 12sec
45. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) @ 9min 40sec
46. George Hincapie (BMC) @ 10min 18sec
47. Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) @ 10min 24sec
48. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 10min 39sec
49. Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) @ 11min 28sec
50. Michael Schär (BMC) @ 11min 41sec
51. Peter Sagen (Liquigas) @ 12min 11sec

Climber:

1. Christopher Froome (Sky): 20 points
2. Cadel Evans (BMC): 16
3. Bradley Wiggins (Sky): 12
4. Michael Morkov (Saxo-Tinkoff): 9
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas): 8

Points:

1. Peter Sagan (Liquigas): 217 points
2. Matthew Harley Goss (Orica-GreenEdge): 185
3. André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol): 172
4. Mark Cavendish (Sky): 129
5. Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre): 109

Young Rider:

1. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis): 34hr 21min 52sec
2. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 2min 37sec
3. Tony Gallopin (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 2min 41sec
4. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) @ 3min 35sec
5. Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel) @ 3min 38sec

Team Classification:

1. Sky: 103hr 5min 23sec
2. Radio Shack-Nissan @ 1min 37sec
3. Katusha @ 5min 54sec
4. Liquigas @ 6min 16sec
5. BMC @ 7min 8sec

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Stage map and profile

Stage 7 map

Stage 7 profile

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Photos from stage 7:

Richie Porte leads the Sky train on the final climb

Cadel Evans isn't lettting Wiggins out of his sight.

Nibali and Menchov made the first cut.

Rolland and Zubeldia were distanced when Chris Froome lit the jets.

Frank Schleck was a surprisingly early casualty

Michele Scarponi must still be tired after his tough fight with Ryder Hesjedal in the Giro.

Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas Voeckler work to limit thier losses.

Chris Horner

Tejay Van Garderen

Some were wondering if Peter Segan could be a threat today. He's not up to climbs like this just yet.

Chris Froome shows a clean set of wheels

Two seconds after Froome wins the stage, Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins finish.

Vincenzo Nibali finished fourth

Rein Taaramae's fifth place earned him the White Jersey for best young rider.

Haimar Zubeldia's sixth was the best for Radio Shack today and makes him their best-placed rider in the GC.

Pierre Rolland and Janez Brajkovic couldn't take the high heat Chris Froome was throwing.

It's early days, but Menchov is now almost a minute behind Wiggins.

Nicolas Roche thought this stage suited him

Fran Schleck said he was tired going in to the Tour. The crashes and fatigue showed today.

Samuel Sanchez

Probably the last Yellow Jersey for Cancellara this year.

Froome's well-earned flowers

and dots

The White Jersey migrates from Tejay Van Garderen to Rein Taaramae.

Wiggins in yellow. Can he keep the jersey all the way to Paris?