Sport

Tour de France: Steve Cummings extracts full value from break

British rider made his move on the ascent of Col d’Aspin

British Team Dimension Data rider Stephen Cummings celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France between L’Isle-Jourdain and Lac de Payolle. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA
British Team Dimension Data rider Stephen Cummings celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France between L’Isle-Jourdain and Lac de Payolle. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA
Fri Jul 08 2016 - 17:06

Britain's Steve Cummings left his big-name rivals trailing as he stormed to victory in stage seven of the Tour de France in the Pyrennes on Friday.

Cummings burst clear prior to the ascent up the daunting Col d’Aspin and continued to extend his lead before easing over the finish line in Lac de Payolle.

It was the second stage win of the Tour de France for Cummings, who also claimed victory in stage 14 in July last year.

Daryl Impey out-sprinted Daniel Navarro to take second place, while Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet extended his overall race lead to six minutes and 36 seconds over Julian Alaphilippe after sprinting clear of the peloton.

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Ireland's Dan Martin remained in 10th place overall to ninth after finishing 15th on the stage.

The stage was marred by a bizarre incident when the inflatable banner marking one kilometre to go collapsed on top of a number of riders, leaving Team Orica’s Adam Yates with a facial injury.

Cummings, a team-mate of Mark Cavendish who has already won two stages this year, said: “I’m ecstatic for the team, it’s fantastic to race with Mark who is a such a legend and it was a brilliant day.

“I managed to give it everything to the top of the Aspin and I knew the race had really finished before I got to there.

“Success breeds success and Cav’s a winner. There’s a really good atmosphere in the team, we’re all winners and we know that anyone in the team is capable of winning stages.”

Cummings responded carefully when asked about British Cycling’s decision not to include him in the men’s road race team for next month’s Rio Olympics.

He added: “If I was the coach I would (pick me), but I’m not the selector. They’re the experts and they know what they’re doing so I’ll let them get on with it.”

However it was quite a statement by Cummings, who set off solo to catch the lead group and went on to take the intermediate sprint as he forged into the lead.

The initial 10-rider chase group, including the likes of Van Avermaet and Vincenzo Nibali, soon dwindled to five as the pace set by Cummings, who crested the top of the Cote d’Aspin with a minute lead, began to bite.

Navarro briefly dropped Nibali and Impey as he continued to give chase while Van Avermaet settled for sticking ahead of the peloton, which was to be further hampered by the unusual events close to the finish line.