In the Tour de France’s first entry into the mountains, it was a Tour newcomer named Linus Gerdemann (T-mobile) stealing all the headlines. The German wunderkind escaped a 15-rider breakaway late in stage 7, and then rode solo to the finish in Le Grand Bornand, taking the stage win and possession of the yellow and white jerseys. Wow.

The hunt for the GC saw all the top contenders stay put in the 197.5km ride that started nearly five hours earlier in Bourg-en-Bresse, then concluded with the tough, 16km cat. 1 Col de la Colombière, before a furious descent to the finish.

Gerdemann (T-Mobile) finished the stage in 4:53:13, 40 seconds ahead of Inigo Landaluze (Euskaltel-Euskadi), with fellow Spaniard David de la Fuente (Saunier Duval-Prodir) third at 1:39. The remnants of the main field, which was whittled down to 36 riders, crossed the line 3:38 behind the stage winner.

“It was our tactic to try to get into a breakaway and I was lucky that our group stuck,” said Gerdemann. “My legs felt great on the final climb and I decided to try. Once I cleared the summit, I risked all to hold my lead.”

Astana teammates Alexandre Vinokourov and Andréas Klöden were part of the main field, both appearing to have shaken off the ill effects of separate crashes on stage 5. Of the true GC contenders, Klöden is the highest placed in sixth, at 3:39. Vinokourov, who lost 1:20 as a result of his crash, is now 44th at 5:16.

Also finishing in the bunch were Americans Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) and Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto). “Today was about what we expected,” said Leipheimer after the stage. “I felt good. The legs were good.”

“Today was the biggest day of my career,” said Gerdemann. “There are a lot of great bike riders in Germany right now. My goal is to try to become a great bike rider.”

Stage 7 Results
1 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 4.53.13 (40.41 km/h)
2 Inigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0.40
3 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval – Prodir 1.39
4 Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld 2.14
5 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 2.21
6 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 3.32
7-42 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quickstep – Innergetic 3.38

FULL RESULTS — Cyclingnews

General Classification after Stage 7
1 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 34.43.40
2 Inigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 1.24
3 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval – Prodir 2.45
4 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 2.55
5 Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld 3.05
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 3.39
7 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.51
8 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d’Epargne 3.52
9 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 3.55
10 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 3.57
11 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.01
12 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana 4.02
13 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor – Lotto 4.02
14 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile Team 4.03
15 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 4.05
16 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.06

FULL REPORT by Cycling News
EARLY RACE FOOTAGE by Versus
GERDEMANN WINS 7th STAGE by Versus
LEIPHEIMER INTERVIEW by Versus
LINUS GERDEMANN INTERVIEW by Versus
STAGE 7 RECAP by Versus
GRAHAM WATSON’S STAGE 7 PHOTOS

Todays Stage 7 win by Linus Gerdemann of T-Mobile should be sending shudders through the Pro peleton as well as the Team Managers. Why you may ask? Since Gerdemann in only in his 2nd year in the pro ranks, ans being a member of one of only two temas that have made a very public policy of being dope free. And in this last year of doping scandals in is huge news that someone so young with a very clean and untarnished past should put on such a decisive stamp on Stage 7.

Tomorrow is going to be a very tough day in the mountains and the Yellow Jersey is sure to change shoulders. This should be the stage were the GC guys come and fight.