Tour de France: Marcel Kittel sprints to photo-finish victory on stage seven
Tuesday 8 August 2017 15:13, UK
Marcel Kittel pipped Edvald Boasson Hagen by the tiniest of margins in a photo finish to the seventh stage of the Tour de France on Friday.
To the naked eye and even television pictures, it seemed impossible to separate the pair as they crossed the line in Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Results long stayed provisional as the race jury looked at the photo finish to determine the winner of the 213.5km flat ride from Troyes.
Kittel was declared the victor ahead of Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and joins Erik Zabel as the German rider with most stage wins on the Tour (12).
Australian Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) was third as Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.
Kittel's Quick-Step Floors sprint train had the dominant position as they barrelled towards the finish line in Nuits-Saint-Georges, but veteran Mark Renshaw guided Boasson Hagen to the front for Team Dimension Data.
Kittel risked finding himself boxed in behind Katusha-Alpecin's Alexander Kristoff but produced the burst of power he needed to take his third victory of this Tour, and 12th of his career in the race, after also winning stages two and six.
"When I crossed the line, I really had no clue if I won or not," the German said. "Before the finish, I knew it was going to be close. At 150m to go, I thought it was still 200, but luckily, the door opened on the right side and I could pass Edvald.
"To reach 12 stage wins at the Tour is an incredible success. I'm in a great shape. I'm super happy. The lead out was great. It's just crazy. I already have three wins in this Tour. I'm so happy about that."
British sprinter Dan McLay finished 10th for Fortuneo-Oscaro.
The threat of crosswinds on the 213.5km route from Troyes ensured Froome will not have been as relaxed as he was on Thursday's sedate stage through Champagne country, but the peloton stayed in one piece to ensure the yellow jersey was never under threat.
A four-man breakaway was allowed to go early as Manuele Mori (UAE Team Emirates), Yohann Gene (Direct Energie), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac) and Maxime Bouet (Fortuneo-Oscaro) heading up the road.
Their advantage got close to four minutes but they were given no more rope than that with the sprint trains wary of possible winds later in the stage.
Those gusts began to blow in the final 40km and the gap plummeted with several teams battling for position - sprint trains chasing stage honours and the general classification squads trying to keep their main men safe.
The break was caught with six kilometres left and the sprint trains stepped up their battle for supremacy at the front.
It took several minutes for the photo finish to confirm Kittel as the winner, and even then not everyone was convinced.
"It looks like Eddy's got it, no?" Froome said when shown the freeze frame. "I think Eddy's in front. That's sprinting for you. It can be really close. It's a huge shame for Eddy, but Marcel Kittel has got a lot of class and to lose to him is not bad."
Kittel's victory also saw him take the green points classification jersey from sprint rival Arnaud Demare (FDJ).
Stage seven result:
- Marcel Kittel (GER/Quick-Step Floors) 5hrs 3mins 18secs
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/Dimension Data) Same Time
- Michael Matthews (AUS/Sunweb)
- Alexander Kristoff (NOR/Katusha)
- John Degenkolb (GER/Trek)
- Dylan Groenewegen (NED/LottoNL)
- Ruediger Selig (GER/BORA)
- Nacer Bouhanni (FRA/Cofidis)
- Andre Greipel (GER/Lotto)
- Daniel McLay (GBR/Fortuneo)
General classification after stage seven:
- Chris Froome (GBR/Team Sky) 28hrs 47mins 50secs
- Geraint Thomas (GBR/Team Sky) +12secs
- Fabio Aru (ITA/Astana) +14secs
- Daniel Martin (IRE/Quick-Step Floors) +25secs
- Richie Porte (AUS/BMC Racing) +39secs
- Simon Yates (GBR/Orica) +43secs
- Romain Bardet (FRA/AG2R) +47secs
- Alberto Contador (SPA/Trek) +52secs
- Nairo Quintana (COL/Movistar) +54secs
- Rafal Majka (POL/BORA) +1min 1secs
