The Tour de France peloton will edge closer towards the first mountains stages of this year's race on the hilly 159 km between Brioude and Aurillac today.
After a week of thrilling racing in which the race for the yellow jersey has proved wide open, the seventh stage will give the contenders another warm-up for the first Pyrenean stage on Sunday.
Taking in the superb countryside of the Massif Central, the hilly ride over some of the most famous cheese-making regions (Cantal, Saint Nectaire) in France could spring a few surprises.
French riders have been involved in almost every breakaway in the first six stages of the race, and Agritubel's Christophe Moreau could be looking to slip into another attack near the site of his national championship win last year.