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Stage 7 Preview
and Results


Stage 7: Le Mans → Châteauroux
Date: Friday, July 8
Distance: 218 km
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View Stage 7 in Google Earth (kml file) or Export the Stage 7 GPX file


Stage 7 start time: Friday 12:20 CET (10:20:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for Le Mans, France
Earliest live video: 14:00 CET (12:00:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:24 CET (3:24:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Châteauroux, France

This stage preview is available in the following languages:

(We are looking for translations in ALL other languages. Please submit your translation with the stage no. and language in the subject title. If you don't see your preview posted within 12 hours then please resend your preview as an attachment if you didn't already do so because we've had problems with some inline character sets like German.)

Stage 7 preview: Le Mans → Châteauroux, 218 km (flat)


The field sprint from the 2008 Tour de France Stage 5 in Châteauroux


The Tour returns to Châteauroux where Mark Cavendish won his first of many Tour de France stages in 2008


The winning Audi from the last Le Mans race
July 5 post: With Stage 7, we start our first leg to Southern France and the French Pyrenées. This is the flattest stage of the race across some boring terrain by French standards. The 218 km route starts in Le Mans, host to the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race since 1923 and heads southeast to Châteauroux which has hosted a Tour de France twice in the past.

After Tuesday's Stage 4, Thor Hushovd stated that Garmin-Cervelo might be able to hold onto the Yellow Jersey for three more stages. If Garmin-Cervelo still have the jersey going into Stage 7 then they would be especially interested in chasing the inevitable break and setting up a sprint finish for Tyler Farrar (and Thor Hushovd).

The Tour last finished in Châteauroux just three years ago when 23 year old Mark Cavendish won his first career Tour de France stage by 1.5 bike lengths in a field sprint, needless to say. Update: With Wednesday's win, he now has 16 career wins. Look for him to repeat in Châteauroux. — Steve
Bernard Hinault Analyzes Stage 7 (00:53 English Translation) — letourfrance