Tour of Britain Stage 7

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The drama continued in the Friends Life Tour of Britain as the Friends Life Yellow Jersey changed hands yet again, as the end of a thrilling stage to Brighton, won by Julien Vermote.

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Tour of Britain Stage 7

STAGE 1  | STAGE 2  | STAGE 3  | STAGE 4  | STAGE 5  | STAGE 6  | STAGE 7  | STAGE 8 AB

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REPORT

Friends Life Yellow Jersey changes hands in Brighton, as Julien Vermote wins stage

Issued on behalf of SweetSpot Group

A trio of testing SKODA King of the Mountains climbs in the final 60-kilometres took their toll on the peloton, and Friends Life Yellow Jersey Alex Dowsett in particular, with the Movistar Team rider losing 2 minutes 34 seconds and falling to tenth place overall.

Garmin Sharp’s Dylan Van Baarle held on from the break to take third, behind Ignatas Konovalovas, but more importantly to become the sixth Friends Life Yellow Jersey of the week, taking a 19-second lead over Michal Kwiatowski into the final stage.

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Julien Vermote of Omega Pharma-Quick Step winning stage 7

At the head of the stage it was Vermote, with the Omega Pharma Quick-Step rider attacking from the break on Ditchling Beacon and soloing to victory on Brighton’s Madeira Drive.

With the race behind splitting to pieces, it was an attack from Vermote’s teammate Kwiatkowski, also on Ditchling Beacon, that detached Dowsett and sent a 22-rider group away, including the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Nicolas Roche and Edoardo Zardini.

Dowsett, assisted by Giovanni Visconti, chased, but in vain and with no further help, as the Bear Road climb and fast descent to the finish prevented them from regaining contact.

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Julien Vermote attacking the breakaway as they reach the final climbs on his way to a solo win

Vermote was able to win alone, with Konovalovas and Van Baarle following him home, before Kwiatkowski led in the group for fourth, rejigging the Friends Life General Classification dramatically.

Speaking afterwards on his dramatic rise into the Friends Life Yellow Jersey, Van Baarle said, “I possibly went under the radar a bit I was still I think 14th in GC but they don’t know my name for now, and hopefully they will remember me.

“I’m really tired. It was a pretty hard day, we went almost from start to finish full gas and when I crossed the line i was completely dead.

“I started to think we might do it when we had ten minutes in the break. Then some DS said there were only two Movistar guys riding and then we held the pace really high. Then Julien [Vermote] said he wasn’t going to ride anymore because OPQS are chasing. At that moment me and Konovalovas went full gas to the finish line.

“Before the start of this race I knew that I wanted to show my name a little bit, show myself maybe get a top ten or top fifteen but I didn’t expect to be wearing the yellow jersey. Now I’m thinking about the podium or maybe winning.

“I like the short prologue distances for time-trial. I’m not a Wiggins that needs 50km or whatever. I’m more a prologue specialist. I will do my best and we will see what happens tomorrow. I don’t know how the legs will feel tomorrow for the other guys and it will be hard tomorrow.”

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Sky put Bernie Eisel on the front in the latter stages of the stage to bring the leaders back.

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On Beachy Head, Steve Cummings goes to the front and splits the race.

Van Baarle’s nearest challenger is Kwiatkowski, with the Polish time trial champion 19 seconds in arrears

“As you see, it’s hard racing here at Tour of Britain! The peloton couldn’t control this breakaway. Luckily we had a strong Julien Vermote there. He really deserves this win. He pulled so much for us, for me every single day and today he took a beautiful victory. Congratulations to him. We’re really happy about it.

“Of course, I wanted to also take back the yellow jersey but Van Baarle was still in front. It’s hard to control everything in a race. We accelerated on the second-to-last climb and dropped Dowsett, but it was hard to close the gap on the group between Vermote and us. But OK, I’m only 19″ down. There is the time trial tomorrow which I said earlier in this race that it would be important, even if it’s short. Anything can happen. I have done well on short time trials like the one of tomorrow. So we will see. But today we are going to celebrate the big victory of Julien.”

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The sprint for 4th won by Michal Kwiatkowski

Having received the congratulations of his Omega Pharma Quick-Step teammates, including Mark Cavendish, immediately after the line, 25-year-old Vermote admitted he hadn’t been expect the result.

“I’m pretty surprised I had the energy for a breakaway win to be honest. Only one day this week I didn’t ride at the front of the peloton because five days out of the six I was pulling for either Kwiatkowski or Cav. I had given my all every time but every day I seem to have recovered well and I have felt very strong.

“Today we didn’t mention me getting in the break at the team meeting but at the beginning of the stage Kwia rode up to me and said maybe it would be a good idea for me to get in the break if I was able. He thought that perhaps I would then be in a position to help him in the final stages if the peloton caught the break.

“I got in the break and I immediately felt good and when out lead went to ten minutes I remembered from the previous day how hard it is to chase down a break like that. We rode very well as a group but at 140-kilometres I stopped contributing because still my main thought was Kwia for GC back in the peloton. Anyway when we rode through the second last climb it was clear we would stay away so I started to ride full gas again and then I really wanted to win. I know my place in the team with all the great riders we have, I love to help them, but also I like to ride to get one victory for the team as well

“My teammates were so happy for me after the finish and it shows that the work I do for all of them, and the team, includes big rewards for myself too.”

In addition to the stage win, Omega Pharma Quick-Step’s third of the week, Vermote also took the Stage Seven Rouleur Combativity Award.

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Vermote tops the climb of Ditchling Beacon through the huge crowds and only nine miles from an impressive victory

Reacting to losing the Friends Life Yellow Jersey, Dowsett said afterwards; “I was disappointed. I thought I woke up feeling pretty fresh, but as soon as we hit those climbs, I knew I was suffering. I got as much food down my neck as I could, and looked after myself as best as I could. The team were amazing today, it’s difficult because we had three guys up there on GC. With the finish being as hard as it was, we knew we needed a back-up plan. We didn’t want to be using Giovanni [Visconti] or [Ion] Izaguirre to work. But the gap to the break went out so much, and the other teams said if you don’t put one more guy up there, we won’t help. Visco had to do a lot of work late on, he tried to help me save it.

“It’s been a good week. Hopefully I’ll have a good TT tomorrow. One minute is a lot to make up in 8km. I’ve worn yellow, and when I came into yesterday I didn’t expect that. It’s been a nice race, Friends Life have put a lot of effort into thiss, and Mick Bennett has produced one of the best Tour of Britain’s yet.”

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Victory for Vermote, one of the workers in the Quickstep team

Elsewhere An Post Chain Reaction rider Mark McNally sealed the SKODA King of the Mountains jersey, with a 21-point lead over double stage winner Matthias Brandle. The Liverpudlian, who took the jersey in his home city on Stage One, still has to finish the London stages, but with no categorised SKODA King of the Mountains climbs, McNally is poised to keep the jersey for the entire week.

The destination of the YodelDirect Sprints Jersey, sponsored by parcel delivery company Yodel, will be decided in London, on lap five of the final circuit race, with just current wearer Sebastian Lander of BMC Racing and Dowsett in contention. The Movistar Team rider is two points behind the Dane, with three points for the winner of the final YodelDirect Sprint.

The Friends Life Tour of Britain concludes in central London on Sunday, with a split stage including an 8.8 kilometre individual time trial before the traditional ten lap circuit race.

Great Britain’s Chris Lawless will get the time trial underway at 11:01, with riders heading off at one-minute intervals, including Steve Cummings at 11:52 and Mark Cavendish at 12:05, before the top ten riders go at two-minute intervals, led by Alex Dowsett at 12:39, with Friends Life Yellow Jersey Dylan Van Baarle last off at 12:57.

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Michal Kwiatkowski in the Points jersey – will it be the Yellow one after the time trial?

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Almost home and hosed now for KoM leader Mark McNally

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New race leader Dylan Van Baarle,

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Dylan Van Baarle driving the break hard through Eastbourne

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It was windy up on Beachy Head and the peloton split into groups.

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Mark McNally on the hunt for points on Beachy Head.

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Great crowds but then that’s a given isn’t it.

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Problem for Alex Dowsett as he gets help from the mechanic.

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Sky fill their jersey with bottles for the team leaders.

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Early on and Wiggins goes to the front and is shadowed by Alex Dowsett

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With the five away, Ben Swift attacks with the gap at 37 seconds to try and get across.

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First attack ….

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A nervous looking Alex Dowsett at the start as they roll away

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Yellow jersey gone for Alex Dowsett as he crosses the line on stage 7

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Well done to Tao for getting up off the deck and crossing the line after a final corner crash

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Two of the breakaway cross the line, KONOVALOVAS 2nd, and VAN BAARLE 3rd.

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Cool under fire, Netapp Endura rider answers the call of nature as he gets a wheel change …

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Ben Swift joking with Alex Dowsett before racing starts proper

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BMC on the attack …. at the start

RESULTS

STAGE 7

1 VERMOTE Julien OPQ 05:12:34
2 KONOVALOVAS Ignatas MTN 23
3 VAN BAARLE Dylan GRS @ st
4 KWIATKOWSKI Michal OPQ 01:20
5 NORDHAUG Lars-Petter BEL @ st
6 ISTA Kevin IAM @ st
7 TEUNS Dylan BMC @ st
8 CHAVANEL Sylvain IAM @ st
9 BONGIORNO Francesco Manuel BAR @ st
10 ZARDINI Edoardo BAR @ st
11 BOULO Matthieu RAL @ st
12 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Jon MOV @ st
13 BIALOBLOCKI Marcin VGR @ st
14 WIGGINS Bradley SKY @ st
15 BARTA Jan TNE @ st
16 REICHENBACH Sébastien IAM @ st
17 ROCHE Nicolas TCS @ st
18 LOPEZ GARCIA David SKY @ st
19 SUTHERLAND Rory TCS @ st
20 JUUL JENSEN Christopher TCS @ st
21 LAMPIER Steve VGR 01:35
22 SWIFT Ben SKY 02:03
23 CHRISTIAN Mark RAL @ st
24 BAUER Jack GRS 02:15
25 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR 02:29
26 HNIK Karel MTN 02:34
27 DOWSETT Alex MOV @ st
28 @ st AMSNIJDER Tom GIA @ st
29 DEKKER Thomas GRS @ st
30 TANKINK Bram BEL @ st
31 COLBRELLI Sonny BAR @ st
32 PINEAU Jérôme IAM @ st
33 GOLAS Michal OPQ @ st
34 HOLOHAN Liam MGT @ st
35 HENAO GOMEZ Sebastian SKY @ st
36 HANDLEY Richard RCS @ st
37 GIRDLESTONE Dylan GRS @ st
38 BATTAGLIN Enrico BAR @ st
39 VAN NIEKERK Dennis MTN @ st
40 VISCONTI Giovanni MOV 02:40
41 PETERS Alex MGT @ st
42 CAVENDISH Mark OPQ 02:51
43 DOULL Owain SKT 03:14
44 HAUSSLER Heinrich IAM 03:40
45 TERPSTRA Niki OPQ 06:08
46 KNEISKY Morgan RAL 06:35
47 HUNT Joshua NPC @ st
48 MCNALLY Mark SKT @ st
49 KÖNIG Leopold TNE 07:18
50 MEGIAS LEAL Javier TNN 07:30
51 VELITS Peter BMC @ st
52 KITTEL Marcel GIA 11:25
53 VOSS Paul TNE @ st
54 ZABEL Rick BMC @ st
55 RENSHAW Mark OPQ @ st
56 FLENS Rick BEL @ st
57 SCHORN Daniel TNE @ st
58 FARRAR Tyler GRS @ st
59 LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo MOV @ st
60 SZMYD Sylvester MOV @ st
61 BRANDLE Matthias IAM @ st
62 BOL Jetse BEL @ st
63 KOHLER Martin BMC @ st
64 VEELERS Tom GIA @ st
65 ARCHBOLD Shane SKT @ st
66 TIMMER Albert GIA @ st
67 WYNANTS Maarten BEL @ st
68 CUMMINGS Stephen BMC @ st
69 BLYTHE Adam NPC @ st
70 LOZANO RIBA David TNN 16:53
71 VERSCHOOR Martijn TNN @ st
72 JIM Songezo MTN @ st
73 MARKUS Barry BEL @ st
74 THWAITES Scott TNE 24:00:00
75 MOSES Thomas RCS @ st
76 LOWSLEY WILLIAMS James NPC @ st
77 @ st AUFF Andreas MTN @ st
78 BURTON Germain GBR @ st
79 @ st EWART Thomas MGT @ st
80 MULLEN Ryan SKT @ st
81 LAWLESS Christopher GBR @ st
82 HOUSE Kristian RCS @ st
83 HANSEN Lasse Norman GRS @ st
84 LANDER Sebastian BMC @ st
85 PARTRIDGE Robert VGR @ st
86 ATKINS George RAL @ st
87 PERON Andrea TNN @ st
88 BOARO Manuele TCS @ st
89 TRUSOV Nikolay TCS @ st
90 WILSON Jack SKT @ st
91 MCLAY Daniel GBR @ st
92 OPIE Chris RCS @ st
93 LATHAM Christopher GBR @ st
94 BARKER Yanto RAL @ st
95 NORTHEY Michael James MGT @ st
96 PIECHELE Andrea BAR @ st
97 MOSS James VGR @ st
98 WILKINSON Ian RAL @ st
99 BIBBY Ian MGT @ st
100 APPLEBY Dale NPC @ st
101 RUFFONI Nicola BAR @ st
102 SANZ UNZUE Enrique MOV @ st
103 MORGAN Bradley VGR @ st
104 EDMONDSON Nathan VGR @ st
105 DE BACKER Bert GIA @ st
106 EISEL Bernhard SKY @ st
107 SCULLY Thomas MGT @ st

OVERALL

1 VAN BAARLE Dylan GRS 30:22:02
2 KWIATKOWSKI Michal OPQ @ 19
3 ZARDINI Edoardo BAR @ 25
4 ROCHE Nicolas TCS @ 35
5 TEUNS Dylan BMC @ 36
6 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI Jon MOV @45
7 WIGGINS Bradley SKY @47
8 LOPEZ GARCIA David SKY @49
9 REICHENBACH Sébastien IAM @51
10 DOWSETT Alex MOV @59
11 KONOVALOVAS Ignatas MTN st
12 CHAVANEL Sylvain IAM 01:07
13 BARTA Jan TNE 01:22
14 JUUL JENSEN Christopher TCS 01:25
15 BONGIORNO Francesco Manuel BAR 01:27
16 SUTHERLAND Rory TCS 01:32
17 LAMPIER Steve VGR 01:35
18 BOULO Matthieu RAL 01:48
19 BAUER Jack GRS 02:11
20 NORDHAUG Lars-Petter BEL 02:13
21 VISCONTI Giovanni MOV 02:22
22 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR 02:34
23 HNIK Karel MTN 02:50
24 HANDLEY Richard RCS 03:04
25 GOLAS Michal OPQ 03:07
26 SWIFT Ben SKY 03:31
27 PETERS Alex MGT 03:38
28 HENAO GOMEZ Sebastian SKY 04:06
29 HOLOHAN Liam MGT 04:18
30 PINEAU Jérôme IAM 04:27
31 VAN NIEKERK Dennis MTN 04:53
32 TANKINK Bram BEL 05:05
33 BIALOBLOCKI Marcin VGR 05:15
34 BATTAGLIN Enrico BAR 06:14
35 KÖNIG Leopold TNE 06:49
36 CHRISTIAN Mark RAL 08:21
37 BRANDLE Matthias IAM 10:57
38 COLBRELLI Sonny BAR 11:18
39 DOULL Owain SKT 11:31
40 ZABEL Rick BMC 12:08
41 SZMYD Sylvester MOV 12:50
42 HAUSSLER Heinrich IAM 13:22
43 CAVENDISH Mark OPQ 13:43
44 ISTA Kevin IAM 14:17
45 VOSS Paul TNE 15:37
46 VERMOTE Julien OPQ 15:40
47 WYNANTS Maarten BEL 15:43
48 TERPSTRA Niki OPQ 17:52
49 STAMSNIJDER Tom GIA 18:09
50 KNEISKY Morgan RAL 18:45
51 LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo MOV 19:03
52 TIMMER Albert GIA 20:24
53 DEKKER Thomas GRS 20:25
54 VELITS Peter BMC 20:29
55 CUMMINGS Stephen BMC 21:07
56 BLYTHE Adam NPC 21:13
57 MCNALLY Mark SKT 23:09
58 FARRAR Tyler GRS 23:19
59 GIRDLESTONE Dylan GRS 23:51
60 LOZANO RIBA David TNN 23:54
61 VEELERS Tom GIA 25:40:00
62 KOHLER Martin BMC 26:27:00
63 VERSCHOOR Martijn TNN 27:51:00
64 THWAITES Scott TNE 28:22:00
65 STEWART Thomas MGT 29:44:00
66 STAUFF Andreas MTN 31:23:00
67 SANZ UNZUE Enrique MOV 35:22:00
68 MOSES Thomas RCS ST
69 NORTHEY Michael James MGT 36:39:00
70 PARTRIDGE Robert VGR 38:31:00
71 BOL Jetse BEL 38:33:00
72 BURTON Germain GBR 40:31:00
73 SCHORN Daniel TNE 40:40:00
74 RENSHAW Mark OPQ 40:49:00
75 MEGIAS LEAL Javier TNN 42:09:00
76 ARCHBOLD Shane SKT 42:11:00
77 FLENS Rick BEL 42:26:00
78 HOUSE Kristian RCS 43:04:00
79 TRUSOV Nikolay TCS 43:52:00
80 SCULLY Thomas MGT 44:49:00
81 ATKINS George RAL 45:34:00
82 KITTEL Marcel GIA 46:48:00
83 JIM Songezo MTN 47:56:00
84 HANSEN Lasse Norman GRS 48:15:00
85 APPLEBY Dale NPC 48:45:00
86 BOARO Manuele TCS 49:36:00
87 EDMONDSON Nathan VGR 50:21:00
88 MULLEN Ryan SKT 51:09:00
89 MCLAY Daniel GBR 54:18:00
90 HUNT Joshua NPC 55:15:00
91 RUFFONI Nicola BAR 55:55:00
92 LANDER Sebastian BMC 56:05:00
93 PERON Andrea TNN 57:39:00
94 BIBBY Ian MGT 59:00:00
95 BARKER Yanto RAL 01:01:35
96 MARKUS Barry BEL 01:03:52
97 DE BACKER Bert GIA 01:03:58
98 PIECHELE Andrea BAR 01:05:51
99 OPIE Chris RCS 01:07:54
100 EISEL Bernhard SKY 01:08:42
101 WILKINSON Ian RAL 01:09:52
102 MORGAN Bradley VGR 01:11:34
103 MOSS James VGR 01:12:59
104 LOWSLEY WILLIAMS James NPC 01:18:40
105 LATHAM Christopher GBR 01:19:13
106 WILSON Jack SKT 01:24:44
107 LAWLESS Christopher GBR 01:25

 

 

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