Cyril Dessel signs autographs before the 197.5 km stage seven, which sees the riders heading into the Alps

The Astana team are in for a tough day with the race's first category one climb ahead, over the Col de la Colombiere

The field spreads out over the Cote de Corlier as riders start to feel the heat and a small group breaks from the pack

Tom Boonen takes the first sprint of the day but the peloton gradually closes on the leaders as the gradients increase

David de la Fuente collects points at the head of the break, summiting first at the Cote de Cruseilles and Cote de Peguin

Spectators line the route as the Tour winds its way onwards towards the foothills of the Col de la Colombiere

The injured Andreas Kloeden and Alexandre Vinokourov are off the leaders but manage to hang in there on the ascents

The heat and the hills prove tough going but Dmitriy Fofonov and Linus Gerdemann strike out on the last climb

Gerdemann tops the Col de la Colombiere in front and holds on for his first stage win on the Tour de France

Inigo Landaluze is hot on the heels of the flying German on the final descent but can't close the gap and places second

Gerdemann moves to first in the overall standings and takes the yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara