Canyon dhb SunGod at the Tour of Britain: Stage seven in pictures

Jacob Scott sealed a memorable double on stage seven of the 2021 Tour of Britain. The Canyon dhb SunGod star secured the intermediate sprints title – to add to the king of the mountains crown he bagged 24hrs earlier. Now he just needs to complete the final stage to walk away with the honours.

Provided he does that, it will mean Canyon dhb SunGod have won the red intermediate sprints jersey in each of the past three renewals. Alex Paton won it in 2018 and Rory Townsend followed up in 2019 before we all took a siesta in 2020.

Here’s our penultimate photo diary from the season’s premier domestic bike race...

There’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes of a bike race – and a race team such as Canyon dhb SunGod. Often the first to rise and last to bed is the mechanic. At this point, Eoin O’Donohoe will be shattered. But if you can’t enjoy the circus, why buy a ticket, right?

Another unsung hero is the soigneur, which is French for healer. The swanny keeps everyone fed, watered and moving as smoothly as possible. Marie Lynn has been with Canyon dhb SunGod for two seasons now. Like Thomas Mein, the Durham-based massage therapist enjoyed a few home roads on stage six.

Squad goals. Canyon dhb SunGod’s super six are presented to the crowd before the penultimate stage kicked off in Hawick. They will each have a story to tell after this race – from the highs of jersey wins and top-10 finishes to the lows of heavy crashes.

Matt Bostock, left, shares a joke with Matt Gibson on the grid. At this point, both might have fancied their chances of contesting a fast finish at the end of the 194.8km route to Edinburgh. That hope became reality for the latter – albeit via the breakaway. Yves Lampaert took the win, though.

Ryan Christensen has ridden tirelessly in support of his team-mates this week. More of those off-camera heroics we mentioned. The Kiwi looked for an opportunity of his own at the beginning of stage seven, but it wasn’t to be – as a breakaway powered clear under the driving of World Tour rivals.

He was the Mein man [groan] when he rolled into his home town of Gateshead on stage six. Having suffered a huge amount of road rash on stage two, check out Monday’s diary, he’s shown great courage to continue. Better than that, though. He finished 11th on the streets of Edinburgh. Mind, blown!

Make mine a double! Jacob Scott salutes the Scottish crowd having secured the intermediate sprints title with a stage remaining.

Standing strong. The Yorkshireman, pictured here in the king of the mountains jersey he secured on stage seven, must now negotiate the final 173km from Stonehaven to Aberdeen to once again etch his name into the Tour of Britain record books.

The race continues...