As it happened: Tirreno-Adriatico stage 7

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico.

The final stage features some early hills but the last 75km are pan-flat, making this an opportunity for the sprinters, with no obvious threat to Primoz Roglic's lead atop the overall classification.

We're rolling (but not yet racing) as the race leaves San Benedetto del Tronto, where we'll end up again later. The 154km route heads inland for those early hills before coming back to the Adriatic coast for five laps of a 14.5km finishing circuit.

Before we get going, now's the time to catch up on yesterday's action. Report, results, and photos from stage 7 all in the link below.

Tirreno-Adriatico: Roglic makes it three in a row with stage 6 victory

After three days of GC action, here's a reminder of the sprinters we have in attendance. 

Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-QuickStep) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) are the top two candidates, each having won a stage already. We also have Fernando Gaviria (Movistar), Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché), Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla), Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE), Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech), Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), and more. 

We also have a certain Wout van Aert, who was instrumental yesterday. He eased his way into the week and didn't bother with the opening sprints but might be tempted today. He's actually someone who'd benefit from going hard on these early hills, as would Girmay. 

It's hard to see anything really sticking for the final flat 75km but it'll be interesting to see how the first part of this stage is raced.

And with that, we are off. The riders reach kilometre-zero and the stage is waved underway.

A few non-starters today, mainly related to crashes. Wilco Kelderman (Jumbo-Visma), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan), and Steff Cras (TotalEnergies) have left the race.

We've got an early breakaway of seven riders going clear.

The riders in the breakaway are:

Nans Peters (AG2R-Citroën)

Mikkel Honore (EF Education-EasyPost)

Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ)

Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies)

Lorenzo Fortunato (Eolo-Kometa)

Samuele Zoccarato (Green Project-Bardiani)

Arthur Kluckers (Tudor)

The seven escapees open a lead of two minutes over the peloton.

The gap is still slim, just under two minutes, as the riders make their way towards the first steep climb after 20km of racing.

Here's a shot of our breakaway

Jayco-AlUla up the pace on the climb in Cossignano

The gradients are nearly 9% and this could break the race open again.

Henri Vandenabeele (DSM) has attacked from the bunch.

Over the climb, where Fortunato was first to the top, and there's a rolling section of road now, with another counter-attack going clear.

Cristian Rodriguez (TotalEnergies), Jan Stockli (Corratec), and Andreas Leknessund (DSM) were in that counter but they've just been taken back by the peloton.

Vandenabeele makes it across to make it 8 in the break.

120km to go

The gap between break and bunch stands at just 90 seconds after 35km of racing. 

Crash in the bunch and Tom Pidcock is down. It's been a rough week for the Strade Bianche winner, who crashed with Wout van Aert a couple of days ago.

Alpecin-Deceuninck are in charge of the peloton on behalf of Philipsen. It's still a full bunch.

Tom Pidcock has abandoned the race after his crash. We'll bring you an injury update when we know more.

100km to go

100 to go and these early hills aren't really having much of an impact. The eight-man breakaway continues to enjoy a lead of two minutes over the peloton.

We're climbing again. It's not officially categorised but the road up to Ripatransone is still a solid 9km effort.

This is the final climb before we drop down to the coast and do our five local laps. 

Here's a look at the map - it's up and down the coast before a sprint finish that's now looking like an inevitability. 

Alpecin-Deceuninck and Soudal-QuickStep continue to combine at the head of the peloton.

93km to go

They are letting the gap go out here. It rises to 3 minutes. 

This final uphill section isn't causing much concern in the peloton. A few springing out of the saddle but it's a full bunch and it's 3:30 behind the eight leaders.

TotalEnergies are pulling now as the race heads over the top and onto the descent.

Here's the latest on Pidcock

Tom Pidcock crashes out of Tirreno-Adriatico

Former world champion Julian Alaphilippe is leading the bunch down towards the coast. 

The gap to the breakaway has come back down to three minutes.

The breakaway riders pass through the finish area for the first time. They're still working smoothly together and the gap is at 2:15. 

Mark Cavendish suffers a rear wheel puncture in the peloton. 

He stops for a quick wheel change but is soon underway. However the speed is high now. 

Soudal is leading the chase of the break in the hope to set-up Fabio Jakobsen for a second win. 

Julian Alaphilippe is leading the peloton.   

The riders are on the flat coast roads of the Adriatic coast now.

The circuit is 14.6km long and is covered five times.

65km to go

The work by Soudal and now Jayco is eating into the break's lead. 

The two sprint teams were perhaps making Cavendish suffer a little bit more. But he's now back at the tail of the peloton.

These are the riders in the break who are trying to hold of the sprint teams. 

Alpecin-Deceuninck are also helping with the chase as the kilometres tick down quickly. 

60km to go

The break return to the finish area but their gap is down to 1:35.   

Race leader Primoz Roglic is ticked safely on the wheels of his Jumbo-Visma teammates up front in the peloton. 

He leads Joao Almeida by 18 seconds, with Tao Geoghegan Hart in third at 23 seconds.

Roglic should not have any problems celebrating his second win at Tirreno-Adriatico after his first in 2019.

The 14.6km circuit goes up and down the coast around the hotels and beach resorts of  San Benedetto del Tronto. 

For a long time a similar course was used for a final time trial but local authorities prefered a sprtint finish when the raced moved to a Sunday finish. 

50km to go

The break's lead is down to a minute as Soudal and Jayco keep driving the chase. 

At this pace, Tirreno-Adriatico will be over in less than an hour of fast racing. 

The attackers are still fighting as they complete the second lap. 

The peloton is at 45 seconds, blowing up dust on the rough roads in the final 500 metres of the stage.   

The brave riders in the break are: Nans Peters (AG2R-Citroën), Mikkel Honore (EF Education-EasyPost), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies), Lorenzo Fortunato (Eolo-Kometa), Samuele Zoccarato (Green Project-Bardiani), Arthur Kluckers (Tudor), Henri Vandenabeele (DSM).

Wout van Aert is working as a domestique today and brings fresh bidons up to his teammates. 

That could suggest he may not contest the sprint but who know with van Aert, he's capable of also winning the stage.

40km to go

Van Aert started Tirreno after illness and an extra long altitude camp. However he quickly found his form and targeted stage 4. However he crashed with To Pidcock and so issed out on a shot at victory. 

Van Aert's classics rival Mathieu van der Poel also struggled at Tirreno but admitted he is not yet on form after his intense and successful cyclocross campaign that ended with the world title. 

Click blow to read what he said on his form.  

Mathieu van der Poel shrugs off concerns about lack of form at Tirreno-Adriatico

The attackers refuse to give-up despite their lead down to 40 seconds. 

Soudal are still doing much of the work in pursuit of the break. But will they have the riders left to lead out Jakobsen in the sprint? 

30km to go

There are to laps to go now, just 29.1km of 50km/h racing.

For now Mathieu van der Poel is at the back of the lined-out peloton. 

The Dutchman played a vital role in helping Jasper Philipsen win stage 3 in Foligno. 

Meanwhile Ben O'Connor has a rear flat and stops for a bike change. Greg van Avermaet also flatted and had to use the neutral service.

Neither panic but both will have to chase hard. 

The Australia had been hoping to do well overall but suffered on the hardest stages and is 13th overall at 1:27. 

25km to go

The break is at just 20 seconds and so the peloton seems to have eased a little, knowing they have 20km to close a 200 metre gap.  

20km to go

Movistar and Jayco are also helping the chase in the peloton.

Movistar are riding for Fernando Gaviria, Jayco for Dylan Groenewegen.  

Mechanical for Dario Cataldo (Trek-Segafredo)

The gap stands at 25 seconds with 16.5km to go.

Another mechanical, this time for Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R). But the race cracks on without him as we head towards the end of this penultimate lap.

14.5km to go

The bell rings!

The breakaway come to the line. One more of these 14.5km loops to go.

The pace has drained from the peloton.

The gap goes back out above 30 seconds.

Alaphilippe comes back to the front to lift the pace.

The gap is 27 seconds with 11km to go. 

Movistar send a rider forward now.

This is still in the peloton's hands but the breakaway are making a great go of this, making an exciting finale of a dull day. 

They're all working really well together, full commitment.

There are a couple of tight turns on this circuit up and down the coast, and there's a small split in the bunch as Alaphilippe takes them round.

Alaphilippe brings the gap down to 20 seconds with 9km to go.

Alaphilippe is still going. Small kicker now.

6.5km to go

The breakaway looks ragged on that kicker. 10 seconds is the gap now.

Alaphilippe is done.

Bahrain form a train on the right. 

On the left it's Jumbo-Visma protecting Roglic.

5km to go and the bunch can see the break just ahead. They're just dangling now.

Movistar have three riders alongside Jumbo

Alpecin move up with five on the right, and now Cofidis, and now Ineos. It's getting crowded.

QuickStep are setting up behind Jumbo on the left.

3.3km to go and the breakaway are caught!

All together for a bunch sprint.

Cofidis take it up, they're here for Simone Consonni.

90-degree right-hand bend and that stretches things out.

Cofidis have the nose with three riders and 2.3km to go

Another right-hander and Cofidis lead the way still.

2km to go and we're still on wide roads but it will narrow.

Intermarche move Girmay up on the right of Cofidis.

Ganna hits the front for Ineos

Ganna's flying solo - no teammates near him.

1km to go

Through a roundabout and onto the narrow chicane.

Van der Poel takes over! Philipsen is third wheel.

Van der Open moves through the gears

QuickStep's lead out man takes over but Jakobsen is not there.

Philipsen opens up!

Groenwegen challenges him but Philipsen takes it!

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wins stage 7 of Tirreno-Adriatico

Primoz Roglic wins the overall title

Results

Let's hear from the stage winner

"We managed to be in a really good position thanks to all the motivation we had from the preovous sprint stage - we knew we were able to do it again. Thee team and Mathieu again did an amazing job."

Here's our report page,

For our stage report, full results, and photos, here's the link you need.

That's Roglic's 17th stage race success of his career. It's his second Tirreno title after 2019. This time last year he was winning Paris-Nice.

The final podium