Philipsen won in style in the tense sprint of the Tour’s seventh stage and prevented Cavendish from surpassing Merckx’s record

The setting is ideal for Mark Cavendish (38 years old) embrace the glory of Tour de France and became the cyclist with the most stage wins in the history of ‘Big Boucle’, 35, surpasses in this way the The Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, with whom they are tied with 34 victories. After two hard days at PyreneesThe Tour road book offers a flat seventh assault, which is about 170 kilometers, in between Mont-de-Marsan and the city of Bordeauxone of the iconic settings on the Tour.

In fact, Bordeaux has accepted until now 80 arrivals of the Tour de France since 1903. The last time the multicolored snake of the Tour arrived in this city located near the Atlantic coast, in the southwest of France, the center of the famous and valued wine region, it was 13 years ago, with the success of a Mark Cavendish Younger than the present, but with the same ‘killer’ DNA as the present. And, in case the ‘Cav’ lack any incentive to seek success in this city bathed in the waters of the Garonne River, the record for wins in Bordeaux remains held by Eddy Merckxwhich he won four times, three of them in stages against the clock.

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That is, the scenario is what was dreamed for ‘Man’s Express’ enter the front door into the Tour de France and cycling history books. And he almost did. After 169 kilometers marked by a cat and mouse game between the peloton, where calm prevailed, and the cyclists who wanted to spice up the day –Simon Guglielmi, Nans Peters and Pierre Latour– The stage will be decided in a tight sprint, without moments of panic and tension.

A dangerous sprint, push, elbow…

The outcome of this phase was not easy, due to the narrowing of the road, various curves to negotiate, the billboards with their feet facing the inside of the street and with an end that is not exactly wide. A product of tension, of their own narrowness and desire to win, the push and hand-to-hand combat between the fastest men turned dirty, while the great favorites let them do it while sitting comfortably in their seats .

It’s the last meter Cavendish andHe found a ‘lane’ and launched. The light came on score and he went to it as fast as his legs could carry him. Less than ten meters left and the Astana runner leaving the skin His legs must have been burning and he must have seen himself reading his name in the records of the day like this, but in the blink of an eye he appeared. Philipsen to his left and ‘Cav’ is helpless.

The Belgian finished this way Philipsen great job another day from your team, Alpineno doubt that the formation was the best that put his arrow one day, achieving his third victory in this edition of the Tour, his number 32 as a professional, leaving honey on the lips of a cavendish that this Friday he already has a 32 second place in the Tour de France.