Cav cut up about ‘choppy riders’ as he’s edged out

Mark Cavendish came close to rekindling former glories in the stage seven sprint to the line, finishing 10th after showing his best form since this Tour began.

Cavendish, sprinting among the front 10 riders, looked on track to challenge for the win in Chartres until his pace was checked, seemingly by Peter Sagan, in the final 100 metres as Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen took his first victory in this year’s Tour.

‘I was following quite good wheels, but it was choppy. There were a few renegades about,’ Cavendish (right) said. ‘ I was picking wheels and seemed to be in a good position. I was quite excited and, when I kicked, my power was pretty good but it wasn’t enough. I had a little coming together and it just stopped me dead.

‘I just keep trying, our backs are against the wall all the time here. It’s not going to be easy to win here but we keep trying. also, if those cycling journalists talked about some really choppy riders rather than me, trying to get clicks, then we’d see who they really are.’ The finishing sprint was the only action in a processional stage of no real excitement or change in the standings, aside from race leader Greg van avermaet’s snatching a three- second time bonus. The only controversy came off the road when French cycling legend Bernard Hinault, winner of five Tours, again criticised Chris Froome’s presence in the race.

He said: ‘The other day I was with a youth cycling coach and before races parents have been giving Ventolin to children who aren’t sick. People copy what the stars do.’

‘I wish Froome all the best as he’s up against a lot of people who don’t want him here. Mentally it must be tough to have all those people booing.’

Froome responded to Hinault’s comments by saying: ‘I certainly don’t hold any grudges.

‘I’m not fazed by any of the background noise at all, I just get on with racing.

‘Over the years I’ve come up against one thing or another and it’s just something else to deal with out on the road, which is where it matters.’ TV: LIVE on ITV4 from 10.30am.