Gediminas Bagdonas of the An Post - Sean Kelly team won the seventh stage of the Tour Of Britain this afternoon.
The race moved to the East of England and started in Bury St Edmunds and saw Bagdonas, Ian Wilkinson (Endura), Claude Mathieu (Europcar), Richard Handley (Raleigh), Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma) and Stijn Neirynck (Topsport) break away early.
They stayed away for all the 199.7km race which saw Thomas de Gendt withdraw, and it was the Lithuanian who sprinted to the finish line in Sandringham to win.
Lars Boom still leads the race going into the final two stages in London tomorrow with the first a time trial at 11am and then a circuit race at 3.45pm.
Stage Seven, Bury St Edmunds to Sandringham, 199.7km
Stage Result
1 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 04:33:17
2 Ian Wilkinson (GB, Endura Racing) st
3 Mathieu Claude (Fra, Team Europcar) st
4 Stijn Neirynck (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) st
5 Richard Handley (GB, Team Raleigh) @ 0:04
6 Wouter Sybrandy (Ned, Sigma Sport-Specialized) @ 0:11
7 Mark Cavendish (GB, HTC Highroad) @ 1:23
8 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) st
9 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita, Leopard Trek) st
10 Geraint Thomas (GB, Sky ProCycling) st
Overall General Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 24:47:58
2 Leopold Koenig (Ger, Team NetApp) @ 0:28
3 Daniel Lloyd (GB, Garmin - Cervelo) @ 0:29
4 Linus Gerdemann (Ger, Leopard Trek) @ 0:31
5 Steve Cummings (GB, Sky ProCycling) @ 0:32
6 Jelle Wallays (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) st
7 Jan Barta Team NetApp st
8 Jonathan Tiernan Locke Rapha Condor Sharp st
9 Iker Camano Endura Racing @ 0:50
10 Joost Posthuma Leopard Trek @ 0:52
The Prostate Cancer Charity Points Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 52pts
2 Mark Cavendish (GB, HTC Highroad) 49pts
3 Geraint Thomas (GB, Sky ProCycling) 47pts
4 Stijn Neirynck (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) 30pts
5 Mark Renshaw (Aus, HTC Highroad) 29pts
Skoda King of the Mountains Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Jonathan Tiernan Locke (GB, Rapha Condor Sharp) 71pts
2 Russell Hampton (GB, Sigma Sport Specialized) 48pts
3 Steve Cummings (GB, Sky ProCycling) 30pts
4 Linus Gerdemann (Ger, Leopard Trek) 28pts
5 Thomas De Gendt (Bel, Vacansoleil - DCM) 25pts
Yodel Sprints Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel, AN Post - Sean Kelly 36pts
2 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 15pts
3 Russell Hampton (GB, Sigma Sport - Specialized) 13pts
4 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 11pts
5 Mark McNally (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 10pts
6 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 10pts
UNISON Best Young Rider, after Stage Seven
1 Jelle Wallays (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) 24:48:30
2 Jan-Bert Lindeman (Ned, Vacansoleil - DCM) @ 1:22
3 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) @ 1:39
Stage Seven Combativity Award: Ian Wilkinson (GB, Endura Racing)
1 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 04:33:17
2 Ian Wilkinson (GB, Endura Racing) st
3 Mathieu Claude (Fra, Team Europcar) st
4 Stijn Neirynck (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) st
5 Richard Handley (GB, Team Raleigh) @ 0:04
6 Wouter Sybrandy (Ned, Sigma Sport-Specialized) @ 0:11
7 Mark Cavendish (GB, HTC Highroad) @ 1:23
8 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) st
9 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita, Leopard Trek) st
10 Geraint Thomas (GB, Sky ProCycling) st
Overall General Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 24:47:58
2 Leopold Koenig (Ger, Team NetApp) @ 0:28
3 Daniel Lloyd (GB, Garmin - Cervelo) @ 0:29
4 Linus Gerdemann (Ger, Leopard Trek) @ 0:31
5 Steve Cummings (GB, Sky ProCycling) @ 0:32
6 Jelle Wallays (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) st
7 Jan Barta Team NetApp st
8 Jonathan Tiernan Locke Rapha Condor Sharp st
9 Iker Camano Endura Racing @ 0:50
10 Joost Posthuma Leopard Trek @ 0:52
The Prostate Cancer Charity Points Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 52pts
2 Mark Cavendish (GB, HTC Highroad) 49pts
3 Geraint Thomas (GB, Sky ProCycling) 47pts
4 Stijn Neirynck (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) 30pts
5 Mark Renshaw (Aus, HTC Highroad) 29pts
Skoda King of the Mountains Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Jonathan Tiernan Locke (GB, Rapha Condor Sharp) 71pts
2 Russell Hampton (GB, Sigma Sport Specialized) 48pts
3 Steve Cummings (GB, Sky ProCycling) 30pts
4 Linus Gerdemann (Ger, Leopard Trek) 28pts
5 Thomas De Gendt (Bel, Vacansoleil - DCM) 25pts
Yodel Sprints Classification, after Stage Seven
1 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel, AN Post - Sean Kelly 36pts
2 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 15pts
3 Russell Hampton (GB, Sigma Sport - Specialized) 13pts
4 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank) 11pts
5 Mark McNally (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 10pts
6 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) 10pts
UNISON Best Young Rider, after Stage Seven
1 Jelle Wallays (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) 24:48:30
2 Jan-Bert Lindeman (Ned, Vacansoleil - DCM) @ 1:22
3 Andrew Fenn (GB, AN Post - Sean Kelly) @ 1:39
Stage Seven Combativity Award: Ian Wilkinson (GB, Endura Racing)
Stage Seven Brief Quotes
Gediminas Bagdonas, AN Post – Sean Kelly Cycling Team, Winner of Stage Seven:
“I am very happy today. I win a big race and my team did really well today.
“I am very happy today. I win a big race and my team did really well today.
“It is very important for me to win today and for the people at home in Lithuania. The support today was very good and I am very happy.
“Tomorrow I will be going for the time trial. Today I had good legs so I will go it tomorrow.”
Ian Wilkinson, Endura Racing, Winner of Stage Seven Combativity Award:
“It certainly wasn’t flat out there today, up and down all the time like a Belgian stage.
“Raleigh went early from the corner and that set me up perfectly. I saw the gantry but misjudged it and went too soon. I eased up into the head wind and they fought back. I came back at them but it was too late. It’s great to win the combativity prize though.
“I was happy in the break, I stiffened up a bit, as most of us do at some point, around the 40km mark but I got fired up again for the finish. With a bit more practice I’ll come back and win a stage next year. It’s a big criterium tomorrow so we’ll give it a good shot.
“There were awesome crowds today, in a few of the villages all I could smell was barbeques! Plenty of folks through the towns, which was fabulous.”
Lars Boom, IG Markets Gold Jersey and The Prostate Cancer Points Jersey:
“Another long day tomorrow but I am confident for the time trial and criterium tomorrow.
“This is a lovely place, it’s my first time in the UK and I think it’s great.
“The conditions were perfect for me and the team. Similar to what we ride in Holland and Belgium.
“I am trying my best to win The Tour of Britain and will do my best tomorrow.”
Pieter Ghyllebert, AN Post – Sean Kelly Cycling Team, Winner of the Yodel Sprints Jersey:
“We did a good job today as a team. I have taken a big lead in the Yodel Sprints jersey and my team mates defended well so it’s good.
“Tomorrow, I am going to go easy on the time trial I think and then going to give everything I have for the last stage.
“It is a big Tour and I have the jersey since Stage One and I think for me to hold it for seven days it is very nice.”
Jonathan Tiernan Locke, Rapha Condor Sharp, Winner of the Skoda King of the Mountains Jersey:
“There were a lot of twists and turns out there and a lot of wind so it was actually quite tough. The whip-lash effect out of the corners and it rained so it certainly wasn’t an easy day.
“Winning the Skoda King of the Mountains jersey wasn’t an objective at the start of the race but I saw an opportunity and thought why not. I know my climbing is good so just went for it.
“It means a lot to the team to have this jersey. I don’t think a British team has won it in a long time and it gets us on the podium so it’s cool.
“I am lying around eighth on general classification but only four seconds off second place so it’s all to play for on the Time Trial. I want to do a good time trial and then take the criterium as it comes.”