Tour de France 1997, July 5-26

Stage 7, Marennes - Bordeaux, 194 kms:


  1. Erik Zabel (Ger) TEL		 4.11.15 (avs 46,328 km)   
  2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) CSO                       
  3. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM                   
  4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) RAB                       
  5. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) ROS                    
  6. Frangois Simon (Fra) GAN                      
  7. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN                         
  8. Fridiric Moncassin (Fra) GAN                  
  9. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) COF                    
 10. Mario Traversoni (Ita) MER                    
 11. Gordon Fraser (Can) MUT                       
 12. Nicola Minali (Ita) BAT                       
 13. Andreo Tchmil (Ukr) LOT                       
 14. Fabio Baldato (Ita) MAG                       
 15. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONC                    
 16. Marty Jemison (USA) USP                       
 17. Tyler Hamilton (USA) USP                      
 18. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) ROS               
 19. Cidric Vasseur (Fra) GAN                      
 20. Christophe Moreau (Fra) FES                   
 21. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN                      
 22. Lauri Aus (Est) CSO                           
 23. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) CSO                     
 24. Rolf Aldag (Ger) TEL                          
 25. Abraham Olano (Spa) BAN                       
 26. Laurent Pillon (Fra) MUT                      
 27. Peter Farazijn (Bel) LOT                      
 28. Claude Lamour (Fra) MUT                       
 29. Andrea Tafi (Ita) MAP                         
 30. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) MAP                     
 31. George Hincapie (USA) USP                     
 32. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) SAE                 
 33. Orlando Rodrigues (Por) BAN                   
 34. Chris Boardman (G-B) GAN                      
 35. Damien Nazon (Fra) FDJ                        
 36. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONC                    
 37. Stiphane Heulot (Fra) FDJ                     
 38. Bo Hamburger (Dan) TVM                        
 39. Daniele Sgnaolin (Ita) ROS                    
 40. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) TVM                  
 41. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TEL                         
 42. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM                   
 43. Christophe Rinero (Fra) COF                   
 44. Georg Totschnig (Aut) TEL                     
 45. Davide Rebellin (Ita) FDJ                     
 46. Pavel Padrnos (Tch) ROS                       
 47. Nicola Loda (Ita) MAG                         
 48. Beat Zberg (Swi) MER                          
 49. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ                   
 50. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) USP                  
 51. Bjarne Riis (Dan) TEL                         
 52. Francisco Benitez (Spa) KEL                   
 53. Giuseppe Tartaggia (Ita) BAT                  
 54. Fernando Escartin (Spa) KEL                   
 55. Francesco Frattini (Ita) BAT                  
 56. Rolf Sorensen (Dan) RAB                       
 57. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) TEL                   
 58. Marco Artunghi (Ita) MER                      
 59. Frankie Andreu (USA) COF                      
 60. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) BAT                    
 61. Jose Angel Vidal (Spa) KEL                    
 62. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                      
 63. Andrea Brognara (Ita) BAT                     
 64. Udo Bolts (Ger) TEL                           
 65. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM                   all s.t    
 66. Danny Nelissen (Ned) RAB                      0.26 
 67. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) ROS                     0.36 
 68. Richard Virenque (Fra) FES                    0.50 
 69. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) FES                      
 70. Didier Rous (Fra) FES                         
 71. Angel Casero (Spa) BAN                        
 72. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) LOT                      
 73. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) BAN                   
 74. Bobby Julich (USA) COF                        
 75. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) BAN                  
 76. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) FDJ                      
 77. Pascal Hervi (Fra) FES                        
 78. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) MER                    
 79. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) CSO                      
 80. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) SAE                
 81. Alberto Elli (Ita) CSO                        
 82. Marco Pantani (Ita) MER                       
 83. Christian Henn (Ger) TEL                      
 84. Michael Boogerd (Ned) RAB                     
 85. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) BIG                 
 86. Andrea Peron (Ita) FDJ                        
 87. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) MAP                       
 88. Laurent Brochard (Fra) FES                    
 89. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) USP                  
 90. Laurent Madouas (Fra) LOT                     
 91. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) MER                   
 92. Daniele Nardello (Ita) MAP                    
 93. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) USP                    
 94. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) MAP                 
 95. Patrick Jonker (Aus) RAB                      
 96. Jon Odriozola (Spa) BAT                       
 97. Dario Frigo (Ita) SAE                         
 98. Joona Laukka (Fin) FES                        
 99. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) GAN                       
100. Erik Breukink (Ned) RAB                       
101. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) ONC                     
102. Santiago Blanco (Spa) BAN                     
103. Andreo Teteriuk (Kzk) LOT                     
104. Philipp Buschor (Swi) SAE                     
105. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONC                      
106. Stiphane Cueff (Fra) MUT                      
107. Miguel Arroyo (Mex) BIG                       
108. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) MAG                      
109. Pascal Lino (Fra) BIG                         
110. Jesper Skibby (Dan) TVM                       
111. Marcello Siboni (Ita) MER                     
112. Jo Planckaert (Bel) LOT                       
113. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) RAB                  
114. Hernan Buenahora (Col) KEL                    
115. Erik Dekker (Ned) RAB                         
116. Peter Meinert (Dan) USP                       
117. Girard Rui (Fra) GAN                          
118. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM                        
119. Kevin Livingston (USA) COF                    
120. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) MAG                     
121. David Delrieu (Fra) MUT                       
122. Javier Pascual (Spa) KEL                      
123. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONC                   
124. Jaime Gonzalez (Col) KEL                      
125. Cyril Saugrain (Fra) COF                      
126. Javier Mauleon (Spa) ONC                      
127. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) SAE                  
128. Marco Zen (Ita) ROS                           
129. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) PLT                     
130. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) PLT                    
131. Benont Salmon (Fra) LOT                       
132. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) FES                  
133. Manuel Beltran (Spa) BAN                      
134. Carlo Finco (Ita) MAG                         
135. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) CSO                
136. Anthony Morin (Fra) BIG                       
137. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONC                    
138. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) MAP                    
139. Bart Voskamp (Ned) TVM                        
140. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) CSO                       
141. Ludovic Auger (Fra) BIG                       
142. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) MUT                 
143. Angelo Lecchi (Ita) MAG                       
144. Jean-Frangois Anti (Fra) MUT                  
145. Marino Alonso (Spa) BAN                       
146. Pascal Lance (Fra) BIG                        
147. Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) PLT                     
148. Roberto Conti (Ita) MER                       
149. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) BIG                    
150. Giusvan Piovaccari (Ita) MER                  
151. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONC                        
152. Luc Leblanc (Fra) PLT                         
153. Jose de los Angeles (Spa) KEL                 
154. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) CSO                    
155. Giorgio Furlan (Ita) SAE                      
156. Marco Fincato (Ita) ROS                       
157. Rossano Brasi (Ita) PLT                       
158. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) COF                    
159. Pascal Derami (Fra) USP                       
160. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) SAE                    
161. Dominique Rault (Fra) MUT                     
162. Gilles Maignan (Fra) MUT          	    all at 0.50    
163. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) ROS               1.54 
164. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) PLT                      1.54 
165. Gerrit De Vries (Ned) PLT                     2.52 
166. Valentino Fois (Ita) MAP                      3.07 
167. Marco Saligari (Ita) CSO                      3.07 
168. Flavio Vanzella (Ita) FDJ                     3.07 
169. Adriano Baffi (Ita) USP                       3.07 
170. Luca Colombo (Ita) BAT                        4.14 
171. Gianluca Pierobon (Ita) BAT                   
172. Neil Stephens (Aus) FES                       
173. Francisco Cabello (Spa) KEL                   
174. Laurent Genty (Fra) BIG                       
175. Maximilian Sciandri (G-B) FDJ                 
176. Vitali Kokorine (Rus) ROS                     
177. Marc Wauters (Bel) LOT                        
178. Johan Museeuw (Bel) MAP                       
179. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN                           
180. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MAG                     
181. Luca Scinto (Ita) MAG                         
182. Fridiric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ             all at 4.14 
183. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) COF                    4.29 
184. Mirco Gualdi (Ita) PLT                        5.28 
185. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) PLT                  6.08 
186. Jens Heppner (Ger) TEL                       11.54 

DNS through disqualification:

Tom Steels (Bel) MAP
Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (Ouz) LOT

DNS through injury:

Ivan Gotti (Ita) SAE                    
Leon Van Bon (Ned) RAB                
Evgueni Berzin (Rus) BAT               

Abandoned:

Mario Cipollini (Ita) SAE                

GC after Stage 7

  1. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) GAN                   38.23.59 
  2. Erik Zabel (Ger) TEL                           1.49 
  3. Chris Boardman (G-B) GAN                       2.54 
  4. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TEL                          2.56 
  5. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN                       3.03 
  6. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) GAN                   3.04 
  7. Abraham Olano (Spa) BAN                        3.04 
  8. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONC                     3.06 
  9. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) MAP                      3.22 
 10. Davide Rebellin (Ita) FDJ                      3.24 
 11. Frankie Andreu (USA) COF                       3.38 
 12. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONC                     3.42 
 13. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) MAP                  3.50 
 14. Georg Totschnig (Aut) TEL                      3.54 
 15. Bjarne Riis (Dan) TEL                          3.59 
 16. Pascal Lino (Fra) BIG                          4.09 
 17. Bo Hamburger (Dan) TVM                         4.11 
 18. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) RAB                   4.13 
 19. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) USP                   4.17 
 20. Mario Traversoni (Ita) MER                     4.21 
 21. Daniele Nardello (Ita) MAP                     4.22 
 22. Frangois Simon (Fra) GAN                       4.25 
 23. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) USP                     4.25 
 24. Nicola Minali (Ita) BAT                        4.26 
 25. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN                          4.27 
 26. Richard Virenque (Fra) FES                     4.28 
 27. Francisco Benitez (Spa) KEL                    4.29 
 28. Fernando Escartin (Spa) KEL                    4.30 
 29. Stiphane Heulot (Fra) FDJ                      4.32 
 30. Laurent Madouas (Fra) LOT                      4.38 
 31. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) FES                       5.04 
 32. Alberto Elli (Ita) CSO                         5.07 
 33. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) BAT                     5.09 
 34. Christophe Rinero (Fra) COF                    5.15 
 35. Michael Boogerd (Ned) RAB                      5.17 
 36. Andreo Tchmil (Ukr) LOT                        5.23 
 37. Andrea Tafi (Ita) MAP                          5.27 
 38. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) CSO                      5.29 
 39. Peter Farazijn (Bel) LOT                       5.37 
 40. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) CSO                       5.46 
 41. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) TVM                   5.54 
 42. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM                    5.58 
 43. Luc Leblanc (Fra) PLT                          6.05 
 44. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) SAE                  6.08 
 45. Marco Zen (Ita) ROS                            6.12 
 46. Orlando Rodrigues (Por) BAN                    6.18 
 47. Andreo Teteriuk (Kzk) LOT                      6.20 
 48. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) MAP                     6.25 
 49. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) PLT                     6.28 
 50. Marty Jemison (USA) USP                        6.34 
 51. Jon Odriozola (Spa) BAT                        6.40 
 52. Daniele Sgnaolin (Ita) ROS                     6.41 
 53. Bobby Julich (USA) COF                         6.44 
 54. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) GAN                        6.44 
 55. Peter Meinert (Dan) USP                        6.47 
 56. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ                    6.54 
 57. Laurent Brochard (Fra) FES                     7.01 
 58. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) ROS                7.05 
 59. Stiphane Cueff (Fra) MUT                       7.09 
 60. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) CSO                 7.10 
 61. Giuseppe Tartaggia (Ita) BAT                   7.13 
 62. Patrick Jonker (Aus) RAB                       7.13 
 63. Nicola Loda (Ita) MAG                          7.14 
 64. Marco Pantani (Ita) MER                        7.17 
 65. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) SAE                 7.22 
 66. Tyler Hamilton (USA) USP                       7.24 
 67. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) TEL                    7.42 
 68. Manuel Beltran (Spa) BAN                       7.55 
 69. Didier Rous (Fra) FES                          7.59 
 70. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONC                    8.00 
 71. Santiago Blanco (Spa) BAN                      8.09 
 72. Hernan Buenahora (Col) KEL                     8.14 
 73. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) COF                     8.17 
 74. Adriano Baffi (Ita) USP                        8.20 
 75. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spa) BAN                   8.25 
 76. Girard Rui (Fra) GAN                           8.25 
 77. Angel Casero (Spa) BAN                         8.26 
 78. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) ONC                      8.28 
 79. Joona Laukka (Fin) FES                         8.32 
 80. Roberto Conti (Ita) MER                        8.38 
 81. Erik Breukink (Ned) RAB                        8.46 
 82. Beat Zberg (Swi) MER                           8.47 
 83. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM                      8.55 
 84. Javier Pascual (Spa) KEL                       8.56 
 85. Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) MER                     8.57 
 86. David Delrieu (Fra) MUT                        9.03 
 87. Andrea Peron (Ita) FDJ                         9.12 
 88. Jaime Gonzalez (Col) KEL                       9.14 
 89. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) PLT                       9.15 
 90. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) MAP                        9.24 
 91. Jose Angel Vidal (Spa) KEL                     9.25 
 92. Anthony Morin (Fra) BIG                        9.39 
 93. Jose de los Angeles (Spa) KEL                  9.44 
 94. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) BIG                  9.45 
 95. Robbie McEwen (Aus) RAB                        9.46 
 96. Claude Lamour (Fra) MUT                        9.47 
 97. Marino Alonso (Spa) BAN                        9.50 
 98. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) CSO                     9.51 
 99. Maximilian Sciandri (G-B) FDJ                  9.53 
100. Gilles Maignan (Fra) MUT                      10.00 
101. Marco Artunghi (Ita) MER                      10.02 
102. Massimo Podenzana (Ita) MER                   10.05 
103. Benont Salmon (Fra) LOT                       10.09 
104. Marcello Siboni (Ita) MER                     10.13 
105. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) USP                  10.14 
106. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) FDJ                      10.15 
107. Dominique Rault (Fra) MUT                     10.18 
108. Pascal Hervi (Fra) FES                        10.19 
109. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) LOT                      10.21 
110. Christophe Moreau (Fra) FES                   10.23 
111. Jean-Frangois Anti (Fra) MUT                  10.30 
112. Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) PLT                     10.37 
113. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONC                        10.41 
114. Pascal Lance (Fra) BIG                        10.47 
115. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) SAE                  10.51 
116. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM                        10.55 
117. Jo Planckaert (Bel) LOT                       11.07 
118. George Hincapie (USA) USP                     11.09 
119. Rolf Sorensen (Dan) RAB                       11.21 
120. Javier Mauleon (Spa) ONC                      11.26 
121. Kevin Livingston (USA) COF                    11.27 
122. Flavio Vanzella (Ita) FDJ                     11.42 
123. Udo Bolts (Ger) TEL                           11.44 
124. Fabio Baldato (Ita) MAG                       11.46 
125. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) PLT                     11.53 
126. Giusvan Piovaccari (Ita) MER                  12.09 
127. Francisco Cabello (Spa) KEL                   12.10 
128. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) FES                  12.11 
129. Christian Henn (Ger) TEL                      12.16 
130. Johan Museeuw (Bel) MAP                       12.17 
131. Erik Dekker (Ned) RAB                         12.22 
132. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) CSO                       12.28 
133. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) MUT                 12.36 
134. Valentino Fois (Ita) MAP                      12.38 
135. Francesco Frattini (Ita) BAT                  12.38 
136. Rossano Brasi (Ita) PLT                       12.45 
137. Gerrit De Vries (Ned) PLT                     12.51 
138. Marco Saligari (Ita) CSO                      12.53 
139. Rolf Aldag (Ger) TEL                          12.55 
140. Marco Fincato (Ita) ROS                       13.02 
141. Vitali Kokorine (Rus) ROS                     13.16 
142. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                      13.19 
143. Pavel Padrnos (Tch) ROS                       13.43 
144. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM                   13.53 
145. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) ROS               13.55 
146. Pascal Derami (Fra) USP                       14.01 
147. Laurent Genty (Fra) BIG                       14.32 
148. Danny Nelissen (Ned) RAB                      14.37 
149. Angelo Lecchi (Ita) MAG                       14.41 
150. Miguel Arroyo (Mex) BIG                       14.42 
151. Jesper Skibby (Dan) TVM                       14.51 
152. Dario Frigo (Ita) SAE                         15.09 
153. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) PLT                  15.09 
154. Giorgio Furlan (Ita) SAE                      15.10 
155. Lauri Aus (Est) CSO                           15.16 
156. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) COF                    15.23 
157. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONC                      15.48 
158. Carlo Finco (Ita) MAG                         15.54 
159. Bart Voskamp (Ned) TVM                        16.10 
160. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) MAG                      16.21 
161. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN                           16.57 
162. Cyril Saugrain (Fra) COF                      17.43 
163. Neil Stephens (Aus) FES                       18.04 
164. Mirco Gualdi (Ita) PLT                        18.06 
165. Fridiric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ                    18.10 
166. Andrea Brognara (Ita) BAT                     18.17 
167. Jens Heppner (Ger) TEL                        18.40 
168. Gordon Fraser (Can) MUT                       18.50 
169. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) ROS                    19.34 
170. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONC                    19.42 
171. Laurent Pillon (Fra) MUT                      19.51 
172. Philipp Buschor (Swi) SAE                     20.56 
173. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) BAN                   22.17 
174. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) MAG                     24.07 
175. Marc Wauters (Bel) LOT                        24.14 
176. Michele Bartoli (Ita) MAG                     24.34 
177. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) BIG                    24.59 
178. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) CSO                       26.13 
179. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) ROS                     26.30 
180. Luca Scinto (Ita) MAG                         26.48 
181. Luca Colombo (Ita) BAT                        28.40 
182. Damien Nazon (Fra) FDJ                        32.31 
183. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) COF                    35.24 
184. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) SAE                    39.37 
185. Gianluca Pierobon (Ita) BAT                   44.44 
186. Ludovic Auger (Fra) BIG                       48.41 

Stage 7 Reports

Abdoujaparov

Uzbekistan's Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, expelled from the Tour de France for doping, said on Saturday he did not understand how he happened to fail a dope test.

"I don't know what happened. In eight years as a professional, it never happened to me. I don't understand," the Uzbek sprinter said.

He added he was probably given a banned product by a member of his Lotto team to ease his pain after a crash in the first stage on Sunday. Abdoujaparov was tested on Tuesday and banned from the race when the results of the test were announced on Friday.

"Our doctors know the products and I trust them. This man had been looking after me for years," he said.

Organisers did not say what substances had been found in his urines but sources close to the Lotto team said two banned products were detected, one of which being clenbuterol.

Clenbuterol became famous at last summer's Atlanta Olympics when a number of Russian athletes were banned for taking it. It is said to help breathing and Abdoujaparov said he had breathing problems after his crash.

Sources added the second substance was unknown and could come from Russia.

Lotto team officials said no decision had been made about Abdoujaparov's future with the team.

On Friday, team director Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke said he had sacked the staff member who gave the 33-year-old rider a banned product

Zabel

German Erik Zabel bounced back from the disappointment of being stripped of victory in the sixth stage of the Tour de France by winning the seventh stage on Saturday.

Zabel was demoted from first place to last on Friday after being adjudged to have pushed French sprinter Damien Nazon before powering his way to the finish line.

But in an incident-free finish on Saturday, Zabel easily won the final sprint -- and praised his team mates afterwards for helping him overcome Friday's setback.

"I won today because I managed to have positive feelings about what happened yesterday and because the team helped me. We're like a family and it helps a lot," he said.

"But I'd like to have a cup of coffee with race stewards one of these days to discuss yesterday's decisions calmly and give my point of view," he added.

Zabel, who also won last Tuesday's stage in Plumelec, crossed the line first in Bordeaux, which was hosting the Tour for a record 75th time.

Sprinters have usually won in the famous wine city and this year was no exception as Zabel edged out Latvian Jan Kirsipuu and Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens, the rider who was awarded victory after Friday's sprint.

Zabel's task this time was made easier by the fact that in the final stretch he took shelter in the wheel of his team leader Bjarne Riis, who won the Tour a year ago, and that three of his most dangerous rivals were out of the race.

Sprint aces Tom Steels of Belgium and Djamolidine Abdoujaparov of Uzbekistan were both disqualified on Friday. Steels was disqualified for throwing a full water-bottle at a rival, and Abdoujaparov for a positive drug test.

And the field opened up even more on Saturday when Italian Mario Cipollini, winner of the first two stages, pulled out with a knee injury.

"It's difficult for me to bid farewell to the Tour this way but I was caught in a crash yesterday and hurt my knee. There was nothing I could do," said Cipollini, who held the yellow jersey for three days.

Frenchman Cedric Vasseur retained his overall leader's yellow jersey two days before the first mountain stage.

Zabel, who also won two stages in 1995 and again in 1996, is in second place overall, one minute 49 seconds behind Vasseur.

Italians Flavio Vanzella, Adriano Bafi and Marco Saligari were the early heroes of the stage as they broke away after only three kilometres and remained in front for 177 km.

The three, who at one time were more than five minutes clear of the pack, were caught 15 km from the finish.

French contenders Richard Virenque and Luc Leblanc and Italian Marco Pantani finished 50 seconds in arrears after being trapped behind a mass crash 5 kms from the finish.

Giro winner Ivan Gotti, one of the favourites for the big climbs, did not start the stage because of a neck injury.

Sunday's eighth stage takes the riders from Sauternes to Pau, a distance of 161.5 kms.

Gotti and Cippollini withdraw

Italians Mario Cipollini and Ivan Gotti pulled out of the Tour de France on Saturday with injuries.

Cipollini, who won the first two stages and wore the yellow jersey for four days, stopped after 25 kms of the 194-km seventh stage because of a knee injury sustained in a mass fall on Friday.

The 30-year-old sprinter from Toscane has never yet completed the Tour de France in five attempts.

Gotti, winner of the Giro d'Italia and one of the most promising Italians for the coming mountain stages, suffered a neck injury in another mass fall on Friday and did not appear at the start on Saturday.