Revel (Saint-Ferréol)
135.5 km
Friday 12 September
Seventh stage. Saint-Juery – Revel (Saint-Ferréol) - 135,5 km. Star at 13h22. Second stage victory for Klemme on this Tour de l’Avenir after a fairly fast and furious stage that saw the leaders neutralise each other. Bakelants keeps the overall lead.
The stage starts at a very fast pace. Many riders try and attack but no one manages to break away. Approaching the first bonus-sprint in Teillet (km 18), the bunch speeds up again. On the line, Guldhammer (DEN) comes first followed by Cusin (FRA) and Beyer (USA). A few kilometres further, the bunch faces the first climb of the day. At the summit of the Côte de Mont-Roc, Grestch leads ahead of Borchi (ITA), Van der Velde and Keizer (NED).
At kilometre 58, after several attempts, nine riders break away. Fonte (POR), Borchi, Pirazzi (ITA), Jeannesson (FRA), Jensen (DEN), Geschke (GER), Kreder (NED), Peterson (USA) and Schmah (SUI) take their advantage up to 30’’ before the bunch reacts. On the line of the second bonus-sprint in Brassac (km 73), Geschke claims the most points and bonus seconds ahead of Borchi and Jeannesson, while the pack is only 20” adrift. Taaramae (EST) then takes off followed by Bakelants (BEL). Under the influence of these two men the pack bunches up again at kilometre 75.
The riders make it bunched at the bottome of the second climb. At the top of the Côte de le Bez (km 77,5), Coppel leads the way in front of Gretsch and Beyer. Coppel continues his effort rapidly followed by Taaramae, Costa (POR) and Amador (CRC). The four riders, joined by Greschke and Bakelants increase their lead. Kunshin, Duarte and Vangaderen also make it to the first group with a 15’’ advantage over the pack at kilometre 88. At the exit of Boissezon (km 89), the front men are eventually caught.
At kilometre 95, Klemme (GER) tries his luck. He is caught by Fonte (POR), Caruso (ITA), Jeannesson, Roux (FRA), Jensen, Troel Runnings (DEN),Voss (GER), Furdi (SLO), Porsev (RUS), Kreder, Modzelewski and Paterski (POL). The little group has a 25” at kilometre 100. At kilometre 105, Paterski, Troels Running and Klemme take off again. They have a 20” lead on their former companions and 45” over the pack at kilometre 108. Kilometre after kilometre, the three escapees increase their lead on their followers. With ten kilometres to go, they have a 45” advantage on the first group and 1’15 over the main pack.
The chase eases up. The gap drops down. First of all the counter-attackers are caught 5 kilometres away from the line. The pack speeds up and with 4 kilometres to go, Stetina (USA) second overall suffers a fall. The same goes for yellow jersey Bakelants a few metres later. At the front of the race, Paterski and Troels Running also hit the ground and lose all hopes of stage success. Klemme continues on his own and claims his second stage success of this Tour de l’Avenir. On the finish line he keeps a 11’’ lead over Amador and Kosyakov who lead the main pack.
« I really felt at ease all along the stage. I was fighting with the main leaders, counter-attacking when they were attacking and I even thought I could catch up the break away and win the stage when I fell down with only four kilometres to go. Let’s see how I feel tomorrow morning. But so far, it really hurts. »