Germany’s sprinter Marcel Kittel, second left, crosses the finish line with a fraction of a second difference ahead of Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen, right, to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 213.5 kilometers (132.7 miles) with start in Troyes and finish in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France, Friday, July 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES, France — Another day, another victory for Marcel Kittel in the Tour de France.
Only this time, the German nearly made his move too late and edged Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway only in a photo finish to win his third stage — and second in two days — in the race on Friday.
Provisional results awarded Kittel the victory but the photo of the finish left room for questions.
Three-time champion Chris Froome will wear the yellow jersey into the mountains this weekend.
It was Kittel’s 12th career win in the Tour, tying him with Erik Zabel for the German record.
Kittel clocked slightly more than five hours over the mostly flat 213.5-kilometer (132-mile) leg from Troyes in champagne country to Nuits-Saint-Georges in the heart of the Burgundy winemaking region.