Tour de France 2023: Libourne - Limoges

 

The last sprint stage of the first week of the Tour would be contested, but only if the peloton could control the breakaway.

Route Description: The seventh stage was from Libourne to Limoges was a stage that started on flatter terrain and would incorporate more rolling terrain as the race approached the finish line. The first part of the stage was flat with the mid-stage sprint point location located at Tocan-Saint-Apre. The first rated climb of the day was the Category 3 Cote de Champs-Romain. It would be followed by undulating terrain until the category 4 Cote Masmont which was at approximately 10 kilometers from the line. The category 4 Cote de Condat-sur-Vienne was located at 4 kilometers from the line. The three kilometer rule was back in force at the standard distance.

Race Summary and Analysis: The stage started as most stages do with a breakaway forming that would be out for most of the stage. The breakaway consisted of Tim Declercq of Soudal-Quickstep, Anthony Delaplac of Total Energies, and Anthony Turgis of Arkea-Samsic. They would gain a four minute gap lead over the peloton at one point during the stage. In the peloton Jasper Philipsen would win the sprint for the remaining point at the mid-race sprint location. This breakaway would survive over the category 3 climb, but be caught before the Cote de Masmont. With the peloton closing down the gap to the breakaway a crash would occur towards the back of the peloton. Mark Cavendish, who was attempting to win one more stage and take the total stage win record from Eddy Merckx, was on the ground in clear pain. He would be unfortunately forced to abandon his last Tour with what seemed to be a broken collar bone. Once the breakaway was about a minute and a half up on the Peloton Kasper Asgren of Soudal-Quickstep would attack out of the peloton. Once this occurred his teammate Tim DeClerq would stop assisting in setting the pace in the breakaway. Unfortunately Asgren would never get more than 20 seconds lead on the peloton; he would finally be caught. The peloton was all together by the time the last two climbs of the day. At approximately eight kilometers to the line there would be another crash in the peloton. Simon Yates and Mikel Landa were the yellow jersey contenders to be stopped temporarily by the crash. Yates and one of his teammates would make a furious chase to try and get back with the peloton, but would end up losing 47 seconds on the day. This is why we see teams like UAE and Jumbo-Visma riding with their yellow jersey contenders near the front of the peloton next to the sprinters and their lead out trains. Stefan Cras who was 13th in the overall standings was tied up in the crash and would have to abandon the Tour on this stage. The sprint teams setup their sprinters and the final sprint turned into a duel between Jasper Philipsen and Mads Pedersen of Trek-Lidl. Mads Pederson would beat Philipsen to the line to take his second career Tour de France stage.