Team Sky's Luke Rowe is doing plenty of the donkey work as the chasers slowly peg back Jurgen Roelandts back.

Another escape seems doomed

Sir Bradley Wiggins and Niki Terpstra are keeping cool and sticking the pace.

Outsider Lotto-Soudal's Jurgen Roelandts takes a look around at the likes of Wiggins and Terpstra and decides he is going to get eaten up if he hangs around these big beasts much longer.

He puts the hammer down and has made a good fist of it. His lead is up to 25 seconds as he hits the bone-juddering Carrefour de l'Arbre section.

AG2R's Alexis Gougeard fires off the front, but it is a brief cameo.

There is a select group of chasers who have got away from the main body of the peloton. Sir Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Niki Terpstra are in it.

Luke Rowe is trying to get up and help Wiggins from the peloton, 19 seconds down the road

It has been a long brave stand, but the five long-time leaders have finally been caught by the peloton. They take a break, free-wheeling and sipping drinks and glancing over their shoulders as they admit their fate.

There are enough willing legs and vested interests in the peloton to nip the Wiggins breakaway in the bud.

The pace simmers up behind them and they are gobbled up.

At ease. Time for Wiggins to regroup and reconsider.

Zdenek Stybar of Etixx Quick Step and Jens Debusschere of Lotto Soudal have joined Wiggins and Vandenburgh at their halfway house between the peloton and the five-strong leading group.

Simon Brotherton
Cycling commentator on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

One of the BMC riders has almost disappeared into the bakery on the side of the road. He did well to stay upright and not knock over an elderly gentleman on the path.

This break is going to stick.

Sir Bradley Wiggins just took off as the peloton hit a section of cobbles and, jaw juddering all the way, he put down more power than the rest could muster.

He has reeled in Etixx Quick Step's Stijn Vendenbergh who was halfway up towards the leaders. The Belgian is attempting to stick with Wiggins. Wiggo might welcome the help from this far out.

29km to go.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

The one problem Wiggins faces now is that the other riders physically can't stay with him if he puts in a big effort. But because Vandenbergh and Stybar are from the same team he can sit back and let them do the work.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

There's a lot of dust so the riders can't see what's going on. There was a big cheer from the British contingent here in the velodrome. He has to go alone - he is the world time trial champion and people will be worried.

This is long-range!

Sir Bradley Wiggins is not going to die wondering. The former Tour de France champion grits his teeth and stamps hard to fly off the front of the peloton.

Thirty-two kilometres to go and it looks like he had cranked up a decent gap on the pack.

Lotto Soudal's Lars Bak wobbles around in the gutter before plunging into the ploughed field, taking some spectators with him. That brings an inelegant end to his attempt to push off the front of the peloton.

French champion Arnaud Demare has had to stop and clip out his back wheel.

At the head of the race, the leading group is down to five, including Latvian Aleksejs Saramotins. Their lead is just over a minute with 35km to ride. Adam Blythe has been swallowed up after dropping out of that exclusive little group.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

It's been a very good ride and a good move by Adam Blythe. He's more of a sprinter so he's shown well.

Simon English:, external "Best wiggo memory: starting his 2012 TdF podium speech with "and the winner of the raffle is.."

Matt C:, external "Being at Hampden Court Palace on the final bend on 01/08/12 ... #bbccycling #MerciWiggo Photo by my dad @survivor6b"

Image source, @Survivor61

Etixx- Quick Step's Stijn Vandenbergh shoots off the front of the peloton. He has just over a minute to bridge to the breakaway.

Team Sky's Luke Rowe is trying to respond.

Unfortunately Britain's Adam Blythe is on the opposite escalator, heading back into the pack after getting left by the leaders.

Forty-two kilometres to go.

Image source, AFP

Yes, a confirmed sighting of Bradley Wiggins ghosting up through the pack and to within the top 20 of the chasing pack.

Are Team Sky bubbling up into contention?

Let's not get too excited just yet. The peloton come chugging the feared Mons-en-Pévèle section. It is like pedalling while hanging onto a pneumatic drill. This will help sort the men from the boys.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

It is Wiggins up there. And right on his wheel is another Team Sky rider which is great news for Stannard and the team.

Team Sky on Twitter:, external Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Bradley Wiggins all towards the front of the peloton as they hit Mons-en-Pévèle.

Hang on. A mystery Team Sky rider has joined Ian Stannard up the top of the peloton. Is it Sir Bradley Wiggins? We are trying to get a clear sightline...

AG2R's main man Johan van Summeren - a 2011 winner here - has taken a spill. Matti Breschel of Tinkoff-Saxo was caught up in the crossfire. Both back up after a little bit of a dispute over who was liable for that one.