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Peter Sagan (M): Green jersey secured
Photo: Sebastien Nogier / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
Belgian professional cyclist Wout Van Aert has won the seventh stage of the Tour de France.
The 25-year-old from the Jumbo-Visma team prevailed after 168 kilometers between Millau and Lavaur ahead of the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen (NTT) and the French Bryan Coquard (B & B-Vital Concept).
For Van Aert it was the second win of the day.
Briton Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) successfully defended the yellow jersey and is heading into the weekend with two Pyrenees stages as the overall leader.
The stage was shaped by the Bora-hansgrohe team and their attempt to get a fast race going.
So Peter Sagan should be brought into the green jersey and a stage win.
Sagan actually secured the green jersey.
But he couldn't keep up with the drivers in front.
In the end he crossed the finish line in 13th.
The winner of the day Van Aert benefited from the fact that the top sprinters such as Caleb Ewan (Australia) and Sam Bennett (Ireland) were left behind early after the Bora team tore the field apart by increasing the pace on the first mountain.
The maneuver had no effect on the overall guidance.
Yates stayed ahead of top favorite Primoz Roglic (Slovenia) and successfully defended his yellow jersey.
Egan Bernal (Colombia) slipped behind Guillaume Martin (France).
Last year's fourth Emanuel Buchmann lost no time.
At the weekend, the two Pyrenees stages are on the program.
First, the 141-kilometer stage from Cazères-sur-Garonne to Loudenvielle over two mountains of the first and an ascent of the highest category.
A day later there are five more mountain ratings waiting on the section from Pau to Laruns.
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