Image source, Tour de France

So, that is all from me today - when what had been a largely sedate stage exploded into life with the late crash leading to chaos and heartbreak.

Stage seven on Friday takes us from Livarot to Fougeres (190.5km) - and Peter Scrivener will be back in the chair for that one.

Enjoy.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist

Well, there was some serious confusion at the end there. Czech puncheur Zdenek Stybar came from nowhere to win the stage, which ended in chaos frankly.

Everybody was trying to work out just who it was who had opportunely burst off the front, while the TV cameras were understandably focused on the mess down the road, with Tony Martin and Vincenzo Nibali involved.

Will Martin be able to continue? That must be doubtful.

Image source, AP

There are so many unknowns at the moment that Donald Rumsfled might want to get involved. 

So because the crash occurred inside the last 3km there is no change to the GC - although there are obviously huge question marks over whether Tony Martin will be able to continue in the race. 

Image source, Reuters

Will Tony Martin get the same time as the rest of the group? Unsure right now. Looks like Martin has done his collarbone. He is being nursed home by three team-mates. 

There is a break off the front from Etixx - Quick-Step's Zdenek Stybar, who gets a lead on the rest.

The rest of the guys - Sagan and all - chase him down but they cannot catch him.

Image source, Reuters

Ouch!published at 16:48

16:48

And Tony Martin.

Crash - Nibali down.

Tony Martin is second place in the line, bends all over the place. Mark Renshaw is first, Mark Cavendish is third at the moment. Peter Sagan well placed.

Image source, Getty Images

So, as has already been suggested the finish today features a hill with an average of 7% that flattens out 500m from the line.

Pete Holmes, below, looks pretty fresh as he reaches the top of Michaelgate. Wonder how he felt a few hundred yards later?  

All looking ominous for Kenneth Van Bilsen now. He must be shattered. Yes, he is swallowed up.

The hill before the final sprint is approaching.

Image source, Reuters

"He is not going to stay away," says Simon Brotherton of Van Bilsen.

Kenneth Van Bilsen is about to be swallowed up, his advantage is about 13 seconds.

Sedate? Not any more.

Nice touch - a shake of the hands between Daniel Teklehaimanot and Perrig Quémeneur as they are finally swallowed up by the chasing group. Van Bilsen has a 23-second advantage.

So, the three-man breakaway becomes two, with Belgian Kenneth Van Bilsen firing off the front. The breakaway had a 37-second lead over the chasing group (and they are chasing now for sure).

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a cracking Tour for Germans so far, with three stage victories.

Could that become four today? Slovakia's Peter Sagan, Norwegian Alexander Kristoff and Giant-Alpecin's German rider Degenkolb have all been tipped as strong contenders.  

This stage had been earmarked before the race as one that suited Paris-Roubaix winner Degenkolb.

"He gets over short climbs, he's a sprinter with great Classics qualities, in fact he's becoming a Classics specialist," said Giant-Alpecin coach Christian Guiberteau.

Degenkolb not won only won Paris-Roubaix this year having finished second in 2014, he also won Milan-San Remo in March and Gent-Wevelgem last year.

So, it's been a cracking day for MTN-Quebeka.

Anyone know what Qhubeka actually means? No, me neither until I stumbled across this....

"It is a word from the language of the Nguni people of southern Africa that means 'to carry on', 'to progress', 'to move forward'.  Qhubeka, external  is a foundation that provides bicycles as a means of transport to underprivileged populations."