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

"This will be a fairly typical sprint stage. I don't think it will be too long before we see the first attack. The template will be a small group will be allowed to go and the sprinters teams and favourites will be on the front and control things. They will let a break go and reel them in, we should see fireworks on the last kilometre and a big bunch sprint."

And as I typed that, Mr Prudhomme did indeed emerge through the roof of the car and wave his little flag and there is an immediate break - a couple of riders have shot off and the peloton seems happy to let them disappear into the distance. One of the escapees is from the Bretagne-Seche team.

STAGE THREE IS UNDER WAY

Tour director Christian Prudhomme seems in no hurry to get today's stage started. He's still seated in the shiny red car that is leading the riders out of Cambridge. In a short while, he will stick his head out of the sunroof and wave his white depart flag and we will be off and racing.

BBC Radio 5 live

Shelagh Fogarty's two-hour show today from the end of the Tour stage in London on BBC Radio 5 live has started. President of British cycling Rob Howden and former cyclist Michael Hutchinson are among her guests.

The riders are still rolling out of Cambridge at a pedestrian pace - think they all must have had a little lie-in today after the exertions of yesterday. According to my booklet, they were due to be in Great Chesterford by now. If you're in that village, you've got another 15 minutes or so to wait.

William Geeson:, external From the roof of King's College Chapel.

My colleague has just said he's come to the conclusion that nobody works in this country judging by the size of the crowds in Cambridge. Like Leeds and York before it, the departure city is absolutely rammed. Maybe it's all the students? Or who wants to own up to pulling a sickie today?

Karen Bennett:, external St George taking in the race in York on Sunday.

The likes of Chris Froome, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali will not feature at the finish. Their respective teams will be trying to keep them safe in the peloton. As Saturday's stage one showed, it can get a little nasty if you get involved with the sprinters.

Froome, Contador and Nibali have bigger battles to come when the race hits the Alps and Pyrenees a little later in the race.

Team Katusha's Alexander Kristoff talking on Eurosport: "I hope I still have juice in the legs. My goal is a stage win but maybe I have no chance today. I show good form and we will go for it today but I know there are some stages that suit me better. Kittel looks good and there are some other fast sprinters. It is quite open. We are in the city and it is always tricky."

Image source, Tour de France

And here is the finish line on The Mall, courtesy of the Tour de France on Twitter., external There are no categorised climbs on today's stage, which will no doubt come as a huge relief to the vast majority of those who slogged their way through the hills of Yorkshire and the Peak District on Sunday.

The sprinters, such as Marcel Kittel, Andre Greipel and Arnaud Demare will be eyeing a stage win today.

Stage one winner Marcel Kittel talking on Eurosport: "It was unbelievable how many people were next to the road at the weekend and it was a great honour to wear the yellow jersey. I am looking forward to London and the sprint. It is a very nice finish for the sprinters."

Defending champion Chris Froome, currently fifth in the overall classification, tells ITV: "I think today is about getting through the stage without any major issues, but it looks relatively straightforward."

A little behind schedule the riders are rolling out of Cambridge and there are thousands of people at the start. The cyclists will take a leisurely ride out of the city before racing begins on the outskirts - I'm hearing that will be around 12:15 BST.

Image source, David Millar

British cyclist David Millar posts a picture on Twitter, external of himself with Welsh singing legend Tom Jones and BBC presenter Jill Douglas: "Quiet drink at our hotel bar," he said.

Millar, 37, will be commentating on the Tour de France for ITV after being dropped from the race by Team Garmin-Sharp.

Before the race gets going, just time to remind you of the state of play.

Italy's Vincenzo Nibali, one of defending champion Chris Froome's main rivals for the overall race victory, won stage two and is two seconds clear of the field.

Froome and Spain's Alberto Contador are among the group two seconds back - it's very early days though, with 19 stages and lots of mountain to climb first.

Just time then to remind you that I need you, my domestiques, to help me through today's stage. I want to know where you are and what you are doing to celebrate the Tour de France coming through your region.

Have you staked out your place nice and early, or will you be making a mad dash out of work to catch the race as it zips by?

Text me on 81111 or tweet #bbccycling, external - pics on Twitter only I'm afraid.

Image source, Team Sky

Team Sky on Twitter:, external Tour Fever has reached Cambridge! Thanks for the warm welcome.

Belgian cycling team Lotto Belisol ‏on Twitter:, external Less than 1h until the start of the 3rd stage #TDF to the British capital. The line is drawn on The Mall, just outside Buckingham Palace