Tour de France : Italian Rookie Valerio Tebaldi Is Winner of the Seventh Stage

Valerio Tebaldi of Italy, a 23-year-old rookie on the pro cycling circuit, won the seventh stage of the Tour de France Saturday, while Jelle Nijdam of the Netherlands kept the overall lead.

Tebaldi, of the Chateau d’Ax team, made a breakaway with Frenchman Philippe Casado of the Z-Peugeot team in the early stages of the 139-mile leg from Wasquehal to Reims. The two riders left the pack after 14 miles.

About 62 miles later, they had built a lead of 15 minutes, and although the pack gradually started cutting into the margin, the two still managed to remain in front.

Tebaldi moved ahead of Casado at the end for the victory in 5 hours 27 minutes 10 seconds. The winning margin was six seconds.

Jean-Paul Van Poppel of the Netherlands outsprinted the pack for third place, 1:47 off the pace.

One of the favorites, Frenchman Jean-Francois Bernard, tumbled in the 40th mile. However, he was able to catch the pack with the aid of his teammates. He is fifth overall.

Nijdam was part of the pack that followed and didn’t lose his first-place hold over Steve Bauer of Canada. The Dutch rider leads Bauer by nine seconds.

Today’s stage is a 136-mile run from Reims to Nancy as the race continues clockwise around France. It ends July 24 in Paris.