A short time trial and significant day for the GC that will tell us plenty about the form of the contenders.Sporting Dijon: Jasper Philipsen looked to have things in place as Mathieu van der Poel led him out but this wasnt the snappy jump of last year where Philpsen himself struggled to hang on.Instead an impatient Arnaud De Lie to launch his sprint with 300m to go and it proved to be the ideal leadout for Dylan Groenewegen. As the Belgian champ faded the Dutch champ went to the left and was clear for the win. Meanwhile Philipsen was drifting right and blocked Wout van Aert and he was duly relegated by the commissaires. Third placed Biniam Girmay extends his lead in green.The stage was enhanced by crosswinds but if this was spice it was low on the Scoville scale. It was notable for Tadej Pogaar being alone up front while all his team mates were caught out. UAE can be a fearsome team but sometimes remind us theyre the old Lampre that happened to stumble across a gold bar.Little else happened. Mads Pedersen collected the combativity prize for starting and contesting the intermediate sprint after his scary tumble the previous day. We keep seeing days without attacks, probably something to explore in a blog post one afternoon next week when the same happens again.The Route: just 25km and a stage in four parts:First after touring Nuits-Saint-Georges its out on a regular road to the first time check, its fast but no billiard table.Soon after theres a right turn and four kilometres uphill with the first kilometre at 7% and then a dip before it drags up again to the second time check, not more than 1-2%. After this theres for 500m at 5-6% again. This is all on a smaller road and while not savage, tricky to know when to accelerateThen a reciprocal descent that twists and turnsAfter the third time check theres a wide, flat road to the finish.The Contenders: its hard to see past Tadej Pogaar (UAE) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep). Pogaar was beaten in his last time trial in Italy so hes not invincible but that was a flatter course, hell like todays version with the climbing and the absence of flat course specialists, no Ganna, no Tarling. Evenepoel won the Dauphin TT and hes looking sharper since but the stage win is a goal, closing the 45 second deficit to Pogaar, taking back two seconds per kilometre, feels outlandish.Primo Rogli (Red Bull) can do great time trials but his form at the same level as the two named already? Ideally hed take time to make himself a contender after looking on the back foot so far.Its another fitness test for Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) but hard to see him winning and yet if he missed out on the Galibier he was able to respond when others could not and maybe a single chainring wasnt the best choice for a tough climb and a terrifying descent. Team mate Wout van Aert has downplayed his form of late but this course suits.Juan Ayuso (UAE) looks like a climber but hes yet to win a summit finish but has won three World Tour level TTs. A tough ask today.Stefan Kng (Groupama-FDJ) is a specialist and if hes a big build hes good on climbs. Unlike the others he hasnt had to fight for position or race hard in the Alps but his energy saving so far is still modest, its still the first week; also sitting 75th overall means he goes earlier than the big names but there doesnt look to be any significant weather advantage. Compatriot Stefan Bissegger (EF) is another specialist but he was a minute down in the Swiss champs which suggests itll be harder today.Remco EvenepoelTadej PogaarVingegaard, Rogli, WvAWeather: hazy sunshine and 24C and a faint breeze from the south, 5-10km/h.TV: the first rider is Mark Cavendish and off at 1.05 CEST and the last rider is due in at 5.30pm CEST.Postcard from Gevrey-ChambertinIf this years race is finishing in Nice it still includes a visit to the Champs Elyses as todays course passes the Elysian fields of wine making, or at least thats what locals and Burgundy wine promoters like to say.Gevrey is a small place, population 3,000 but famous around the world, at least to wine drinkers for the Cte de Nuits and its premier crus wines. Youll struggle to get change from a 100 note for one bottle, often youll need a fistful of notes for the prized ones; presumably oenophiles are similarly shocked to find you can pay hundreds for a derailleur. At least us cyclists dont have to lay down our goods in a cellar for a decade or more.If you want a cheaper souvenir with an unforgettable taste try the Ami du Chambertin cheese for an unforgettable experience. Made from cows milk and washed many times with marc to give it a harder rind, the makers say it has a pronounced aroma which is a gentle way of putting it.The post Tour de France Stage 7 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.