Race leader Victor de la Parte (Vorarlberg) found himself under pressure when GC threat Brent Bookwalter (BMC) made it into a 21-rider breakaway in stage 7 of the Tour of Austria. His small continental team had to work hard to save the day and accomplished their mission.

“It was short and extremely tough today. There was constant attacking and I hope that I will manage tomorrow’s last stage well. It will be another hard day”, stated De la Parte after the stage.

"I have rarely seen anything like what happened today," his sports director Werner Salmen said. "There was an incredibly speed right from the beginning and the peloton was never compact. It was always single-file. It was a very difficult stage and it required our riders to give everything."