In a gripping finale to Stage 7, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) clinched his third win of the 2023 Tour, defeating Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan) in a heart-stopping sprint finish.
When Cavendish, seeking to break the record for the most stage wins in Tour history, took a flyer and hit out for glory, Philipsen had to react swiftly.
Thanks to Van der Poel’s perfect lead-out, Philipsen was able to slip into Cavendish’s wheel and launch his own sprint, defeating the Brit at the last moment.
The 170 km stage, which started in Mont-de-Marsan and ended in Bordeaux, was largely dominated by a solo breakaway by Simon Guglielmi (Arkéa-Samsic).
However, the sprinters’ teams, including Lotto-Dstny, Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Astana-Qazaqstan, controlled the peloton throughout, ensuring Guglielmi’s lead never became a serious threat.
With this victory, Philipsen further cemented his lead in the green jersey competition, and he is now eyeing the opportunity to take the jersey all the way to Paris.
Simon Guglielmi’s Lone Breakaway
The defining narrative of Stage 7 was undoubtedly the solo breakaway of Simon Guglielmi.
Right after the start in Mont-de-Marsan, Guglielmi made a bold move, separating from the peloton and spending most of the day in a lone breakaway.
At one point, his advantage was over six minutes, leading many to wonder if the peloton had underestimated the Frenchman’s strength.
However, as the kilometers ticked down, the sprinter’s teams, especially Lotto-Dstny and Alpecin-Deceuninck, ramped up the chase.
“I think we can be proud enough of our team achievement”
Speaking of his final sprint, Philipsen acknowledged the crucial role of his teammates.
“I think we can be proud enough of our team achievement, like without them it would never be possible to get this third stage win already.
“I’m just really proud of them, how they worked together and how we find each other in the final to do everything we can and that leads to success. I’m super happy and proud.
“We were very well grouped in the final 3 km, and even Soren Kragh Andersen did an amazing pull – and we still had Jonas Rickaert and Mathieu van der Poel there.
“I was always in a good wheel and never had to do a big effort before I could launch my sprint, and that’s how we win.”
Philipsen was also full of praise for the defeated Cavendish.
“He was really strong and I would have also loved to have seen him win, but I think everybody [did]! For sure, he will keep on trying and he’s up there, in good condition, so it will be hard.”
As for the yellow jersey competition, there were no significant changes as the general classification contenders finished safely in the peloton.
Tour de France 2023: Stage 7 Results
1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck): 3 Hours, 46 Minutes, 28 Seconds
2. Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan): +0 secs
3. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty): +0 secs
4. Luca Mozzato (Team Arkéa Samsic): +0 secs
5. Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla): +0 secs
6. Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe): +0 secs
7. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious): +0 secs
8. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis): +0 secs
9. Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team): +0 secs
10. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek): +0 secs
Tour de France 2023 General Classification Standings After Stage 7
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma): 29 Hours, 57 Minutes, 12 Seconds
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): +25 secs
3. Jai Hindley (BORA-hansgrohe): +1 minute, 34 secs
4. Simon Yates (Team Jayco AlUla): +3 minutes, 14 secs
5. Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers): +3 minutes, 30 secs
6. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates): +3 minutes, 40 secs
7. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ): +4 minutes, 3 secs
8. Romain Bardet (DSM): +4 minutes, 43 secs
9. Thomas Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers): +4 minutes, 43 secs
10. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma): +5 minutes, 28 secs
