In short
| Stage winner | Edvalo HAGEN |
 (yellow/white jersey) |
Moises DUENAS NEVADO |
 (green/white jersey) |
Bruno NEVES |
 (red polka dotted jersey) |
Edvalo HAGEN |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Thursday 31 August | 130 km |
| Charleroi - Charleroi | ||
| 2 | Friday 1 September | 180.5 km |
| Charleroi - Mont-Saint-Martin | ||
| 3 | Saturday 2 September | 144.5 km |
| Mont-Saint-Martin - Moyeuvre-Grande | ||
| 4 | Sunday 3 September | 149 km |
| Yutz - Metz | ||
| 5 | Monday 4 September | 151 km |
| Metz - Nancy | ||
| 6 | Tuesday 5 September | 161.5 km |
| Nancy - La Bresse | ||
| 7 | Wednesday 6 September | 163 km |
| La Bresse - Ornans | ||
| 8 | Thursday 7 September | 143.5 km |
| Salins-Les-Bains - Saint-Genis-Pouilly | ||
| 9 | Friday 8 September | 24.5 km |
| Chamonix-Mont-Blanc - Finhaut | ||
| 10 | Saturday 9 September | 145.5 km |
| Saint-Nicolas-La-Chapelle - Marcinelle-en-Montagne | ||
| Total | 1393 km | |
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The race
Wednesday 6 September 2006| stage 7 | La Bresse - Ornans - 163 km |  |
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Hagen again
7th stage: La Bresse – Ornans: 163 kilometres. Officila start at 12h35 for the 112 riders still in the race. Non starters: Valynin (ODB) and Keinath (GER). On the day: 3 climbs and 2 intermediate sprints. Third victory for Norway’s Hagen after a breakaway took off at kilometre 15. Duenas Nevado kept control of the race and therefore keeps his yellow jersey.
The film of the stage
The start of the stage was very fast. In the leading positions were the riders of the Agritubel team working for their yellow jersey Duenas Nevado and reacting to any type of attempt. At the top of the first climb, the Col des Croix, Roche (COF), Pardilla (VMC) Di Grégorio (FDJ) and Ghyllebert (JAC) led a bunched pack. Immediately after clearing the hill, Hartmann (FRA), Steurs (BEL), Muck (GER), Hagen (NOR), Neves (POR) and Gallego (VMC) broke away. Their lead increased rapidly. At the intermediate sprint in Melisey (km 41), Neves beat Steurs and Hagen while the peloton was at 2’30. The gap grew to 10’.
Hagen made it first at the top of the Côte de Courchaton (km 76) in front of Neves and Hartmann while the advantage on the pack stabilized at 10’. At the top of the Côte de Lanthenans (km 94), Hagen again grabbed the maximum mountain points ahead of Neves and Hartmann. The pack had again lost some ground, 10’10 adrift. Despite the work in the pack on behalf of several teams, the escapees kept a decent lead until crossing the line of the second intermediate sprint in Gonsans (km 131) where Neves comforted his lead in the points standing by beating Steurs and Hagen. The pack remained 10’35 off the leading pace.
With 25 kilometres to go the gap stayed the same and the 6 leading riders carried on working together. Victory seemed promised to go to one of them, but that didn’t however disorganize the group. With 10 kilometres to go, Gallego did however give it a go and took off for a final solo effort.
After a few hundred metres on his own, Gallego was caught back. The six front men were therefore going to battle it out together just before the finish line. In the leading positions, Hagen and Neves looked to be the strongest. It was finally the Norwegian that claimed the win, his third victory on this Tour de l’Avenir.
Behind, the pack started reacting, led by the Agritubel team. Indeed, Gallego, thanks to his good place in the day’s breakaway could indeed conquer the yellow jersey if the pack failed to cross the finish line with a deficit of over 8’38 on the escapees. The peloton eventually made it 8’15 after the leading riders. Duenas Nevado (AGR) therefore kept the leader’s yellow jersey but Gallego looked to be back in a contender’s position for overall victory.
The winner interview
Svein Holestol (Sporting director of Team Norway):
When coming here, we knew that Hagen could win a stage. But three... It’s almost unbelievable. It’s even more surprising because he’d been sick for the last 15 days before the Tour de l’Avenir. Anyhow, we’re really very happy. It’s a great preparation for the World Under-23 championships. For the remaining part of the race, we’ll have to see. Edvaldo isn’t a very good climber but he’s not that bad going up the hills. So you never know!