Another sprint another win for Arnaud Démare. This one wasn't very expected, I think some would expect after he wasn't dropped in the main climb after some headwind didn't let the pace scale up a lot, but the truth is he was never put into distress. Groupama didn't work today, instead Bora worked hard to cancel a gap that was quite big for the breakaway and there was pace all the way to the line. With no surprise did it end in a sprint and with Démare there he easily put in some bike lenghts into the rest of the riders, with Matthews and Felline finishing in the podium and the GC remaining the same.
Positive: Démare taking another good win, getting also a lot of points for the maglia ciclamino, Felline also a nice surprise in the podium.
Negative: Bora after having worked, Majka included being in the front for a bit there in the end got nothing out of the day and lost their jersey, not the best of days for the team.
The Route
Stage 7 is finally an opportunity to rest, a short and pan-flat stage, the first opportunity for the pure sprinters and a day that should be enjoyed by much.
The finish shouldn't pose much of an issue as it isn't apparently technical, the run-up to the final kilometer has some tricky corners but the final maybe 1.2Km are completely straightforward, a day for strong leadouts.
The Weather
CROSSWINDS!!! One of those days! Strong winds from the northwest and they get stronger as the day goes by. The roads aren't overly exposed but they are in the middle of wide plains with not much vegetation in there. Every run-up to a town will be a fast leadout and every exit of a town will be a sprint. GC teams will cover the ground all day long breakaway chances are next to none, and there's good chance that it'll all kick off in the crosswinds as the blocks aren't as strong here as in the Tour.
The Favourites
It's a day for the pure sprinters (if they make it there that is) at long last. Finally we'll see in action all of the fast men, so far riders like Fernando Gaviria and Rudy Barbier haven't yet been in any and tomorrow will have to seize the opportunity as best they can. Gaviria has had the team by his side and will have a strong leadout for tomorrow including 4th today Juan Sebastian Molano and Max Richeze, whilst Barbier has riders like Cimolai and Zabel to help out alongside an experienced team with a strong rouleurs.
These man will be looking to beat the main sprinter of the Giro so far though in Arnaud Démare, dominant today and with a team fully focused in him it's hard to see him being beaten in such great form, he has a points jersey to defend and he should be there, the other men who will be looking to prove a point having not won this season yet will be Peter Sagan, looking for those points and a comeback from today's disapointing sprint and also Elia Viviani who's been blocked in the only sprint he's been so far.
Michael Matthews and Andrea Vendrame would prefer some kind of uphill in the stage but they'll have to wait for another day, they should nonetheless try to be there in the first places. Another wildcard will be another rider who hasn't yet been in any sprint but is looking forward to it, having a good leadout including Davide Ballerini who can himself be an outsider for the sprint if he finds the freedom for it.
Some more riders will mess in there but is hard to get over as all of the big pure sprinters have strong leadouts who could themselves fight for good places or even wins. If you're looking for a surprise then expect echelons, if not it's still promised to be an exciting finish!
Prediction Time
⭐ Cimolai, Matthews, Ballerini, Vendrame
Yeah that's right I'm gonna trust Démare to take it today. I underplayed him both stages he won, probably he won't win tomorrow because of this but tomorrow I call him to win. You can't win two without winning a third is a popular saying in my language.
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