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TDF 7

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Our continuing coverage of the other big event going on this month.

Stage Date Start > Finish Type Distance (km) Distance (mi) Winner
7 Fri 07/11 Saint-Malo > Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan Hilly 197 122 Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

Note on Pronunciation: Tadej Pogacar’s name is pronounced TAH-day POH-gah-char (the “?” sounds like “ch” in “church”). If he can lead the Tour de France, we should be able to say his name right! ?

Editor’s Note: I am shaking my head as I read these 100+ mile distances day after day. I’m spending all summer training for a 100 miler (century) in September. Can’t imagine doing in back-to-back days, let alone all month long.

Even someone like Mathieu van der Poel, who has worn the yellow jersey (as the TDF leader) for 4 of the 7 stages so far, commented on the demands of the TDF, day after day:

“I sometimes wonder how the others recover so well.”



Tour de France 2025: Stage 7 Recap


Pogacar Dominates Mûr-de-Bretagne to Reclaim Yellow Jersey


Stage 7 of the 2025 Tour de France, a 197-kilometer hilly stage from Saint-Malo to Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan, delivered a dramatic showdown on the iconic Mûr-de-Bretagne climb, known as the “Alpe d’Huez of Brittany” for its steep gradient.


The stage featured relatively rolling terrain until the final circuit, which included two ascents of the punishing Mûr-de-Bretagne (2 km at 6.9%), with the finish line at the summit of the second climb. A breakaway formed early, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG controlled the pace, ensuring the stage would be decided by the general classification (GC) contenders. A high-speed crash with 6.5 kilometers to go disrupted the peloton, taking down key riders like João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), and Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), who was forced to abandon.


Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) showcased his dominance, powering to victory with a blistering sprint on the final ascent of Mûr-de-Bretagne, reclaiming the yellow jersey. He outpaced Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), who finished second, and British rider Oscar Onley (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL), who took third. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) stayed in contention, finishing in the reduced lead group, while Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) struggled and lost the yellow jersey. Pogacar dedicated his victory to his injured teammate João Almeida.


In the general classification, Tadej Poga?ar now leads, with Jonas Vingegaard in second (+1:17), Remco Evenepoel in third (+1:30), and Oscar Onley moving up to seventh. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) retained the green jersey, Tadej Pogacar held onto the polka-dot jersey, and Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) kept the white jersey. The combativity award went to Iván García Cortina (Movistar) for his efforts in the breakaway.


Stage 8, a 171.4-kilometer flat stage from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval Espace Mayenne, offers a chance for sprinters, but the GC battle intensifies as Pogacar strengthens his grip on the race ahead of the first rest day.


Jersey and Award Definitions


  • Yellow Jersey (Maillot Jaune): Worn by the rider with the lowest overall time in the general classification (GC), the race leader and frontrunner for the Tour’s overall victory.
  • Green Jersey (Maillot Vert): Awarded to the points classification leader, earned through stage finishes and intermediate sprints, typically favoring sprinters.
  • Polka Dot Jersey (Maillot à Pois): Given to the mountains classification leader, based on points from categorized climbs, recognizing the best climber.
  • White Jersey (Maillot Blanc): Worn by the best young rider (under 26) with the lowest GC time, highlighting emerging talent.
  • Combativity Award: Awarded daily to the rider showing the most aggressive or spirited effort, such as breakaways or attacks, as voted by a jury. Not typically awarded in time trials.

Photo of the day: Yellow-jersey wearing Mathieu van der Poel reaching out to congratulate Irishman Ben Healy on his first ever Tour de France stage win at Stage 6. Shades of the medieval painting shown above.

The post juxtaposes a modern Tour de France handshake between cyclists Mathieu van der Poel and another rider with a 14th-century French manuscript illustration of knights from “Lancelot du Lac,” highlighting a historical parallel of chivalric greetings, a connection supported by art historians noting medieval gestures as precursors to contemporary sportsmanship.