Tour of Britain: Andre Greipel wins stage seven in Ipswich

Andre Greipel won stage seven of the Tour of Britain in a photo finish

Germany's Andre Greipel won a thrilling sprint finish in Saturday's penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain.

The 33-year-old Lotto-Soudal rider was millimetres ahead of Team Sky's Elia Viviani, 26, as the two crossed the finish line together.

Stage seven of the Tour covered 139 miles between Fakenham in Norfolk and Ipswich in Suffolk.

"We really wanted to go for the sprint today. It was hard work, so hats off to my team-mates," said Greipel.

Norwegian MTN-Qhubeka rider Edvald Boasson Hagen finished fifth to retain his overall lead.

He goes into Sunday's final stage, which is expected to end with a sprint finish in London, with a 13-second lead over the second-placed rider, Sky's Wouter Poels.

Boasson Hagen, 28, would become the first rider to win the Tour of Britain twice since its return to the professional cycling calendar in 2004.

Britain's Owain Doull, riding for Team Wiggins, came sixth in the stage and remains fourth overall, 44 seconds behind the leader.

Stage seven result:

1. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto-Soudal) 5hrs 14mins 42secs,

2. Elia Viviani (Ita/Team Sky) same time

3. Sondre Holst Enger (Nor/IAM)

4. Mark Renshaw (Aus/Etixx-Quickstep)

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/MTN-Qhubeka)

6. Owain Doull (GB/Team Wiggins)

7. Rasmus Guldhammer (Den/Cult Energy)

8. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel/IAM)

9. Dylan van Baarle (Ned/Cannondale-Garmin)

10. Jens Debusschere (Bel/Lotto-Soudal)

General classification:

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/MTN-Qhubeka) 33hrs 32mins 36secs,

2. Wouter Poels (Ned/Team Sky) +13 secs,

3. Rasmus Guldhammer (Den/Cult Energy Pro Cycling) +43secs

4. Owain Doull (GB/Team Wiggins) +44secs

5. Zdenek Stybar (Cze/Etixx-Quick-Step) +51secs

6. Ruben Fernandez (Spa/Movistar) same time

7. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Team LottoNL-Jumbo)

8. Dylan van Baarle (Ned/Cannondale-Garmin) +59secs

9. Chris Anker Sorensen (Den/Tinkoff-Saxo) same time

10. Xandro Meurisse (Bel/An Post - Chainreaction)

Selected others:

18. Peter Kennaugh (GB/Team Sky) +2:11

24. Ian Stannard (GB/Team Sky) +37:56

87. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Team WIGGINS) +1.29:28