Jul. 14, 2007

Stage 7 - Bourg-en-Bresse to Le Grand Bornand - (197.5km)

Only a week into the race, much earlier than usual, this first mountain stage will give an indication of who is going to challenge for the yellow jersey. The stage finale includes the long, tougher northern side of the Cat. 1 Col de la Colombière, which has an average grade of almost 7 percent for 16km. Before this Cat. 1 climb, the stage uses winding roads through the edge of the Jura, with flat roads in the limestone gorges mixed with two Cat. 3 and a Cat. 4 climb. After the Colombière, the course has a fast, open 10km descent into Le Grand Bornand, with a flat 4km loop into the finish.

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  Jul. 14, 2007
  Gerdemann wins Stage 7, seizes yellow jersey
  Results | Gallery (8 Images)

  In the Tour de France's first foray into the mountains, it was race newcomer Linus Gerdemann stealing all the headlines. The baby-faced German ...
• Jul. 14, 2007
  Stage stats: Stage 7
  Weather: Sunny, warmer, highs in mid 80s, moderate head-crosswinds Stage winner: Tour rookie Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile) joined a 15-man breakaway ...
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  Jul. 14, 2007
  Into the Alps, Stage 7: A Casey Gibson Gallery
  Gallery (10 Images)

  "Mountains, finally!" exclaimed ace shooter Casey Gibson as the Tour de France headed for the high country on Saturday. Take a peek.
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  Jul. 14, 2007
  Discovery bides its time with 4 in top 20
  Just behind the fireworks of the stage-7 breakaway, Discovery Channel quietly placed four riders in the selective, 35-man front group. Levi ...
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  Jul. 14, 2007
  T-Mobile bookends GC with high hopes for Rogers
  After the first day in the mountains, T-Mobile riders sit at the very top and the very bottom of the 2007 Tour de France general classification. In ...
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  Jul. 14, 2007
  Can Gerdemann save German cycling?
  Gallery (2 Images)

  German cycling has been on the ropes for the past year. First it was Jan Ullrich and his links to notorious Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and ...
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  Jul. 14, 2007
  Stage notes: Cardenas back in the bigs; Cavendish homebound, UCI weighs in
  Gallery (3 Images)

  Felix Cardenas is back at the Tour de France after nearly disappearing off the peloton map. The 34-year-old Colombian climber is back in cycling’s ...