News Round-up: Breathtaking sprint battle on stage 7 of the Tour de France

There was a breathtaking finish to stage 7 of the Tour de France as Jasper Philipsen, Mark Cavendish and the rest of the sprinters went wheel-to-wheel in Bordeaux. Elsewhere, Sep Vanmarcke has announced his immediate retirement from pro cycling, Jasper Philipsen could target the World Championships after the Tour and we could have a new big-budget race from 2024. All of that and more in today’s GCN Racing Roundup…

| Philipsen denies Cavendish in dramatic sprint on stage 7 of the Tour de France

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) racked up his third stage win of this year’s Tour de France in breathtaking style as he denied Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) from achieving a record-breaking 35th stage victory.

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Philipsen put his third win down to his team’s strength after they guided him through a narrow run-in in Bordeaux

Delivered expertly by teammate Mathieu van der Poel, Philipsen leapt out of the Cavendish’s slipstream inside the final 100m after it looked almost certain to be a history-making day at the Tour. Cavendish settled for second, banging his handlebars in frustration as he crossed the line, with Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) rounding out the top three in Bordeaux.

Sixteen years to the day since Cavendish made his Tour debut, the record-breaking stage win looked to be in the Astana Qazaqstan man’s reach until jumpy gears and a ruthless Philipsen left him settling for second place. Nonetheless, he has shown once again that he is still more than capable of winning a stage in this year’s Grande Boucle.

Philipsen, who has now won the last five sprint stages at the Tour de France, praised his team for their work, admitting “If you told me [I’d have won three stages] one week ago, I would think you were crazy! But so far it is the dream Tour for us.”

The Belgian sprinter, who now leads the green jersey competition by 88 points, added: “Without them [the team] it would never be possible to get this third stage win already, we can be really proud of how we worked together and found each other in the final to do everything we can. That leads to success, so I am super happy and proud.”

The GC standings were unchanged on stage 7 as the main contenders for the maillot jaune rested up ahead of a testing weekend of racing before the first rest day.

If you missed any of the action today, we have got a full race replay waiting for you to watch on GCN+ right now. We’ll also have long and short highlights for you later tonight, which you will find in the ‘Highlights’ tab.

| Sep Vanmarcke announces retirement due to heart issues

Israel-Premier Tech have confirmed that Sep Vanmarcke will retire from professional cycling with immediate effect following the discovery of scar tissue on the 34-year-old’s heart.

Following the detection of an “abnormally high heart rate” whilst riding, the Belgian veteran underwent tests, including a cardiac MRI, that revealed the extent of the issue.

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Vanmarcke’s final race came last month at the Belgian Nationals road race

Given the risks posed by cardiac issues such as this, Vanmarcke can no longer continue competing in the pro peloton.

“We were all shocked to hear the news that Sep had a cardiac issue that will prevent him from racing again. At the same time, we are relieved that the issue was discovered, as Sep’s health and wellbeing are the priorities, for Sep, his family, and his IPT family,” said Team owner Sylvan Adams in a press statement.

During his 14-year career, Vanmarcke established himself as a proficient Classics rider, claiming wins at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Bretagne Classic and most recently, the Maryland Classic. Podiums at Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem also feature on an impressive palmarès.

Despite being disappointed to end his career in such unexpected circumstances, Vanmarcke reflected on his time as a pro cyclist with pride.

“When I pinned a number for the first time back in 2003, I never dared to dream about having a professional career. I ended up living that dream for 14 years, with highs and lows. I wasn’t the super talent, but with dedication and hard work I was able to compete with the best riders in the biggest races for years.

“I would have liked to have raced at the highest level for a few more years and achieve more great performances together with IPT in the biggest races. It is very sad and painful to announce the end of my career in this way. At the same time, I am grateful that the problems with my heart were discovered in time,” he added when discussing the need to retire from racing immediately.

| Edoardo Affini signs three-year contract extension with Jumbo-Visma

Jumbo-Visma have secured the services of Edoardo Affini until at least 2026 after the Italian signed a new three-year contract extension with the Dutch WorldTour team.

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Affini guides his team leader Primož Roglič through the cobbled streets of Rome

Affini was out of contract at the end of the season but has been handed a new deal following a string of consistent performances, including his efforts at this year’s Giro d’Italia where team leader Primož Roglič took the overall title.

"It feels very natural for me to continue the adventure together after three fun years with this team," Affini said in a press release.

"I am happy to extend my contract for three years. It indicates a high level of trust and commitment. I have found my strengths here, and I look forward to building on them with the support of the team. It is motivating to work with some of the best riders in the world and pursue our goals together. Additionally, I will keep working to deliver outstanding performances whenever I can."

A strong time trialist alongside his dependable domestique attributes, Affini joined Jumbo-Visma in 2021 and tackled both the Giro and Vuelta a España last season - it is unclear whether he will follow the same programme once again this year.

| Philipsen set for World Championships debut

After claiming the first three sprint stages of this year’s Tour de France, Jasper Philipsen could be rewarded with a highly sought-after spot on Belgium’s World Championship squad for this summer’s road race. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the Alpecin-Deceuninck quickman is being eyed as an extra option in Glasgow thanks to the team having nine places available to them.

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Philipsen won back-to-back sprints on stages 3 and 4 of the Tour de France

This fortunate position arises thanks to Remco Evenepoel’s World Championship road race win in Wollongong granting him an automatic spot, which paves the way for another Belgian talent competing in Scotland.

National team coach Sven Vanthourenhout has reportedly discussed the possibility with both Philipsen and his Alpecin-Deceuninck team bosses. It appears that the plan hinges heavily on the sprinter’s condition come the end of the Tour.

The 25-year-old had hoped to make his World Championships debut in Australia last year, however, Vanthourenhout opted - successfully - to have Evenepoel and Wout van Aert as the team’s leaders.

It is understood that no decision on the World Championships squad will be made before the final week of the Tour de France.

| Israel and Middle East nations planning ‘Peace Race’ for 2024

The 2024 racing season could conclude with a new, starstudded stage race - dubbed the ‘Peace Race’ - which will take place across several countries including Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

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The UAE Tour, launched in 2019, is the biggest cycling event in the Middle East

The race will feature a number of the sport’s biggest names, with home teams such as Bahrain Victorious, UAE Team Emirates and Israel-Premier Tech all expected to be involved, according to Cyclingnews.

Sylvan Adams, the owner of ProTour team Israel-Premier Tech, is understood to be involved in organising the ‘Peace Race’, which will aim to highlight the recent Abraham Accord peace treaty between Israel and a number of Arab nations. Given the race’s motive, it will likely raise eyebrows from some in the sport regarding potential sportswashing.

Despite the expectation of a top-tier startlist, it is understood that the race will not be a WorldTour-level event.
That’s all for today, folks.