Isaac del Toro wins stage 7 as Luke Tuckwell keeps yellow

Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG won the seventh stage of the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes on Saturday, June 13, with a powerful solo victory on the steep slopes of the Grand Colombier. The Mexican rider surged past early attacker Juan Ayuso in the final 1.5 kilometers to claim the win, while Australian Luke Tuckwell of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe narrowly retained the overall race lead.

Del Toro finished 25 seconds ahead of Ayuso, with Tobias Halland Johannessen taking third place. The 133.6-kilometer mountain stage from La Bridoire was defined by a dramatic early crash involving French general classification contender Paul Seixas and a relentless pursuit that reshaped the race ahead of Sunday's final stage.

Seixas, a pre-race favorite from Decathlon CMA CGM, crashed approximately 30 kilometers into the stage and fell more than three minutes behind the main peloton. With the help of several teammates, he embarked on a grueling 60-kilometer chase, finally rejoining the main group with about 36 kilometers remaining. The effort and the crash's effects took a toll, however, and Seixas was unable to follow the top contenders on the final ascent of the Grand Colombier, finishing over...