Le Tour de France 2016 - 7. Stage 7: L'Isle Jourdain / Lac de Payolle

An historic Stage 7 start

All One Hundred Ninety-Eight riders depart

A great day in prospect

For a breakaway unchecked

Fast flat to Cat 1 climb is the course they chart

Riders advance and are brought back

Third try’s the charm for twenty-nine

The race and pace they now define

Pack back unsure how to react

Just who is up in front of them?

Those of no concern for the overall win?

Van Avermaet in yellow

Nibali, too, a fellow

Have Team Sky leading with a furious spin

Before the climb, attacks will split

The over-sized breakaway group

Perhaps Nibali can recoup

Enough time to challenge a Brit

Forget Froome in Paris for now

Today Britain’s cunning Steve Cummings knows how

First over the Col d’Aspin

(No Rio for him? A sin!)

Pyrenees stages never bore, yearly wow.