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Van Aert leads Tour of Britain lead ahead of final stage

cycling09 September 2023 16:50| © AFP
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Rasmus Tiller © Gallo Images

Wout van Aert retained the overall Tour of Britain lead heading into the final stage despite being pipped in a sprint finish on Saturday.

Norway's Rasmus Tiller finished the 170.9km route between Tewkesbury and Gloucester in southwest England just at the front of a 13-man group after the UNO-X Pro Cycling rider passed Van Aert with 800 metres left to come home first in a time of three hours 50 minutes and 53 seconds.

Tiller was the beneficiary of a good lead-out from teammate and compatriot Tobias Johannessen.

But Belgian cyclist Van Aert, riding for the Jumbo-Visma team, retained his three-second overall lead heading into Sunday's final stage.

"It feels really good," said Tiller. "We have tried every stage here with the two sprinters we have on the team but we knew today was going to be a different race with a smaller (front) group. That suited me better.

"Tobias did a really good lead-out and it was just for me to sprint for the win."

"When Wout (van Aert) has a small gap, you know it's going to be difficult to bring him back.

"We managed to ride well together, and, in the end, we caught him.

"Then Tobias did a good lead-out, so I'm happy I had the legs to finish it off."

The tour's final stage on Sunday is a 166.8 km route through south Wales, starting in Margam Country Park before finishing in Caerphilly.

STAGE 7 RESULTS

1. Rasmus Tiler (NOR/UXT) 3hr 50min 53sec,
2. Danny van Poppel (NED/BOH), at same time.
3. Stevie Williams (GBR/GBR), s.t.,
4. Gregor Muhlberger (AUT/MOV), s.t.
5. Damien Howson (AUS/Q36), s.t

OVERALL STANDINGS

1. Wout van Aert (BEL/TJV) 24h 51 min 3sec,
2. Danny van Poppel (NED/BOH) at 03 sec,
3. Rasmus Tiler (NOR/UXT) s.t.,
4. Tobias Halland Johannesen (NOR/UXT) s.t.,
5. Damien Howson (AUS/Q36) s.t.

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