The Tour climbs its way out of Ulverstone on stage seven to Penguin on a 78.5-kilometre journey.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton passes a country style mailbox near Upper Castra on stage seven.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Steven Robb (Search 3 Retain) from Victoria in the peloton during stage seven.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Eric Sheppard (National Junior Road Team) was the first to the top of the category one climb at Gunns Plains.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Riders at the front of the race during the gut-busting climb at Gunns Plains, which split the field.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Englishman Ben Greenwood rides for the GHD-Burnie team during this tour and grimaces his way to the top of the climb at Gunns Plains.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Ben Day (left) and Fly V Australia teammate Phil Zajicek drive the lead group nearing 20 kilometres to the finish.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche), the reigning Australian Road Champion, was powering along in the lead group and looking for a podium finish.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The stage seven podium (l-r): Bernard Sulzberger (second, Fly V Australia), Rohan Dennis (first, Jayco/AIS), and Peter McDonald (third, Drapac Porsche).
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
A flying penguin: Tour leader Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) gets to know one of the locals in Penguin after stage seven.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
A lead group receive some support on the descent prior to the climb at Gunns Plains where a brute awaited the Tour.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
A select group featuring the Tour leader were timing their run on the climb at Gunns Plains and would soon reach the head of the race to Penguin.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The lead group with Phil Zajicek (left) of Fly V Australia and Jai Crawford (Savings and Loans) driving as they near the final 20 kilometres of the stage.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Rohan Dennis (Jayco/AIS) takes out stage seven from Ulverstone to Penguin ahead of Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) and Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche).
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Mates: Seagull and Penguin in Penguin.
(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Cycling's recent nighttime anti-doping wake-up calls highlighted concerns that micro-dosing is fuelling an ever-accelerating peloton. Further concerns arise from the similar biological footprints left by hypoxic adaptation and artificial EPO. Is modern-day cycling as clean as we hoped? Cyclingnews investigates…
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My best guess would be that social media has accelerated the glorification and fetishization of the Alpe d’Huez atmosphere, and more and more people are heading up with the primary focus of seeking out the hot-spots where the music is loudest, and the costumes are wildest.