The four-man breakaway has made it onto the category four climb to Col du Pertuis, which lasts 3.7km and has an average gradient of 6.6%.

Image source, Reuters

Connor Swift of Ineos Grenadiers helps the peloton bring the gap down to one minutes 30 seconds with the day's first climb approaching.

By the way, Louis Barre has managed to make it back.

Here's a reminder of what the coloured jerseys represent:

Tadej Pogacar is no longer eligible for the white jersey for best young rider but he has held the other three coloured jerseys during this year's Tour.

The Slovenian star then relinquished all three but regained the yellow jersey after stage 11 and the polka dot jersey yesterday.

If he can hold on to both - and reclaim the green - he would be the first rider to win all three since Belgian legend Eddy Merckx in 1969.

Image source, Getty Images/Reuters

After sitting on the tarmac and waiting for some help from the race doctors, Louis Barre is back on his bike and trying to catch the bunch.

1. Jonathan Milan (Ita/Lidl-Trek) - 262 points
2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Emirates-XRG) - 240 pts
3. Biniam Girmay (Eri-Intermarche-Wanty) - 179 pts
4. Tim Merlier (Bel-Soudal Quick-Step) - 156 pts
5. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) - 150 pts

Jonas Abrahamsen adds another sprint to his tally, while Jonathan Milan makes sure he comes through first from the peloton, just ahead of Biniam Girmay:

1. Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) - 20 points
2. Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) - 17 pts
3. Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost) - 15 pts
4. Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) - 13 pts
5. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) - 11 pts
6. Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) - 10 pts

Seven Lidl-Trek riders are at the front of the bunch with Max Schachmann of Soudal Quick-Step.

Oh, there's a crash. And who is it on the deck... Louis Barre, an Intermarche-Wanty team-mate of last year's green jersey winner Biniam Girmay.

The breakaway is now two minutes 15 seconds clear, with the intermediate sprint less than 10km away.

Stage 11 winner Jonas Abrahamsen is still in that lead group. Since the Norwegian’s Tour debut in 2023, he's won more intermediate sprints than any other rider (seven).

Next best since then are Bryan Coquard, Jonathan Milan and Mads Pedersen with five, although all of Milan's wins have come this year, with this being his Tour debut.

Image source, Reuters

The gap to the breakaway is stable at about 2mins 40secs, with four riders in the lead group.

There's less than 20km to the intermediate sprint.

Axel Laurance's gap to the lead group drifts to more than a minute so he gives up the chase and drops back to the peloton.

It's two minutes 45 seconds adrift and is being driven by Thibau Nys and Lidl-Trek team-mate Quinn Simmons.

Axel Laurance of Ineos Grenadiers is chasing on his lonesome, with Lidl-Trek trying to prevent anyone else getting away.

Laurance trails by 50 seconds, with the peloton one minute 30 seconds back.

Four riders have broken away - Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost), Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility).

They have already opened a gap of 30 seconds.

Jonathan Milan's Lidl-Trek team are soon trying to get control of the peloton with Quinn Simmons up there.

Image source, EPA

Today's stage is under way and Ivan Romeo, Jonas Abrahamsen and Neilson Powless attacked from the off in a bid to make today's break.

1. Jonathan Milan (Ita/Lidl-Trek) - 251 points
2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Emirates-XRG) - 240 pts
3. Biniam Girmay (Eri-Intermarche-Wanty) - 169 pts
4. Tim Merlier (Bel-Soudal Quick-Step) - 150 pts
5. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) - 150 pts

Image source, Reuters

Today is mainly about the intermediate sprint and the battle for the green jersey, which Jonathan Milan has held since stage six.

The Italian has twice won the green jersey for points leader on the Giro d'Italia and looked set to claim the honour on his Tour debut.

But overall race leader Tadej Pogacar is closing the gap on the Lidl-Trek rider and the 24-year-old spurned a great chance to hold Pogacar off during yesterday's stage as he missed out on a break shortly before the intermediate sprint.

According to his team, Milan and Pogacar took a comfort break at the same time but Pogacar was back on his bike quicker and by the time Milan got going again, the breakaway had a two-minute gap he just couldn't make up in time.

There's an intermediate sprint on today's stage, followed by two category four climbs. There's also a maximum of 50 sprint points available at the finish:

• 112km to go - Roche-Saint-Secret-Beconne (max. 20 points)
• 94km to go - Col du Pertuis (one point)
• 43km to go - Col de Tartaiguille (one point)

Speaking of Mark Cavendish, the Manx Missile set the record for all-time stage wins last year before retiring.

But he's now enjoying life out of the saddle and was mixing with fans before the start of today's stage in Bollene.

Image source, Reuters