Mark Renshaw was third, ahead of Bryan Coquard. Not sure what happened to Andre Greipel.

Kittel put his head down and went for it from what seemed like a long way out and there was nobody who could live with his pace. Peter Sagan was in his wheel for the last couple of hundred metres but he didn't have the legs to get round the German.

MARCEL KITTEL WINS STAGE THREE

They are into The Mall and thousands are cheering them on. Here we go. Kittel is going from a long way out.

Giant have three on the front of the peloton, all in front of Kittel as they go under the Flamme Rouge - 1km to go.

Inside the final 2km and everyone jostling for position for the right-hander and everyone safely round. But there's a crash a bit further back in the peloton. All the big boys seem to be safe though.

Giant-Shimano and Lotto riders move to the fore. Kittel and Greipel are in position. A big German showdown on The Mall? They are on the Embankment, heading towards Big Ben, where they will turn right.

Tony Martin of the Omega Pharma - Quick-Step team is setting the pace. Renshaw is towards the back of that train and you know Cav will be cheering his buddy on. Just 3.5km to go.

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

"The situation is bizarre. all the GC riders are ahead of the sprint riders. Alexander Kristoff is the best placed of the sprint riders at the moment."

The City workers are all taking extended lunch breaks as they watch Barta get eaten alive. He's been out front for 149km. A cracking effort but it's now all about the sprinters as we enter final 5km.

Lots of slipping and sliding round the corners on the soaked roads. Who is your money on? Can anyone get round Kittel? Could Mark Cavendish's lead-out man Mark Renshaw get the green light to have a go?

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

"It is pretty impossible Barta will get to the finish in the lead. All the sprinters want something here."

Bideau sits up and is swallowed by the peloton. Barta is a bit of time-trial specialist so it's all about setting a rhythm and dealing with the pain. But his lead is deteriorating with every pedal revolution. He's 10 seconds clear with 7km remaining.

Here they come. And Barta has gone off on his own and left Bideau behind. Just 8km to go.

How long is the Limehouse Tunnel?

Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Where have all these people come from? How have they got here? Where have they parked? I know London is usually busy but I can't believe these numbers."

Barta and Bideau are first to go into the Limehouse Tunnel. There are hundreds of fans all the way down to the tunnel edge and as the peloton disappears 30 seconds later, so do our TV pictures...

Rob Hatch
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

"It is raining sideways now, they are struggling with the breaking. London is about to become a very dangerous and slippy place for the Tour de France."

The lead is down under a minute for the first time since Barta and Bideau made their bid for glory all the way back in Cambridge. They have just 40 seconds in hand as they reach 11km to go.

The sprinters teams have dropped back slightly, probably sorting out their lead-out trains before making a concerted push on the front.

Image source, BBC Sport

Carly Parsons:, external Let's hope the market survives the mass city exodus onto Lower Thames Street.

The peloton is going past the end of the runway at City Airport, having taken a roundabout extremely slowly, while Barta and Bideau continue to push on. Our leaders are looking absolutely shot but they are leaving it all out on the road as they head into the final 12km.