Geoffrey Soupe takes surprise sprint win in chaotic finale to stage 7 at the Vuelta a Espana

Geoffrey Soupe has taken a surprise bunch sprint win in a chaotic finale to stage 7 at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana.

Stage 7 of the Vuelta a Espana is a return to the sprinting days. The first half of the day will largely be downhill which means the peloton can't afford to give the breakaway much of a gap, but the run-in to Oliva will be pan-flat.

There was drama for the INEOS Grenadiers before the cameras had even begun rolling as Geraint Thomas was among three of the team to hit the deck early on.

Two Spaniards formed the day's breakaway. The vastly experienced José Herrada of Cofidis and Ander Okamika of Burgos-BH although the Alpecin-Deceuninck led peloton was keeping them on a tight leash.

With the kilometres going by at a snail's pace, Thomas was able to drop back to the team car and get some lengthy treatment on his left knee.

With over 65km still to go, the two-man breakaway was halved. Herrada was caught but Okamika put up a bit more of a fight.

Having lasted a further 20km, Okamika himself was swallowed up with 41km to go.

With the peloton all back together for the intermediate sprint and bonus seconds on offer once again, Jonas Vingegaard reared his head, stealing third at the sprint and pinching himself two seconds in the general classification.

The possibility of wind playing a part never really materialised meaning the peloton was all together as they entered the final 15km.

Two crashes then followed however, Sepp Kuss being caught up in the first and then Thymen Arensman seemingly in a lot of pain in the latter.

The stress levels were very high in the bunch and with a windy run in to the final kilometre, the race was on tenterhooks.

Round the final corner and it was an enthralling sprint with Geoffrey Soupe edging it in a photo finish for TotalEnergies.

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