Postpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Tinkoff-Saxo are down to six and can only afford to lose one more rider before they reach the finish line. Peter Sagan and Alberto Contador are in that sextet.
Summary
Stage 9: Team time trial - Vannes - Plumelec (28km)
BMC Racing win in 32:15'
Team Sky finish second, 0.62 seconds behind BMC
Britain's Chris Froome retains the yellow jersey
Postpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Postpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extraIt's all about this final climb. You can lose a lot of time if you haven't gauged your effort correctly.
BMC quickest at 20.5kmpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
There are a couple of brave kids sneaking out into the middle of the road to wave their flags as the BMC team whizzes by and they cross the line three seconds quicker than Movistar, 16 quicker than Tinkoff-Saxo.
Postpublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesThe BMC Racing squad is down to seven as they go under the 10km to arch. Team Sky have eight riders. Chris Froome dishing out the pain on the front of the train.
Team Sky can win - Portalpublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, EPATeam Sky directeur sportif Nicolas Portal told to letour.com this morning: "It's a different ball game with two contenders in this TTT weakened. Etixx-Quick Step without Tony Martin is not the same thing and Orica-GreenEdge have only six riders left, one of them injured.
"Moreover a week of the Tour levels the chances. I think that with Richie Porte, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard and Chris Froome we have the riders for this kind of effort. I'm confident we can do very well in this time trial and even win it."
Contador losing ground on Quintanapublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
At the 20.5km check, Tinkoff-Saxo are 13 seconds slower than Nairo Quintana's Movistar. That's Alberto Contador potentially losing time to the Colombian.
Sky level with BMC at 10kmpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
The Tinkoff-Saxo train is flying along at a touch under 70km/h. They are down to eight riders with around 8km remaining.
Team Sky are doing around 35km/h but they are on an incline and approaching the 10km check. Chris Froome takes over the pace and it instantly climbs to the right side of 40km/h as they cross the line in exactly the same time as BMC Racing.
Tweet us via #bbccyclingpublished at 15:54 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Gregg Coull: Love watching a TTT - if only they were able to do them more often. Expect BMC to come out on top. #bbccycling, external
Didi the Devilpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, EPADidi the Devil is back and frightening cyclists wherever he roams.
BMC quickest at 10kmpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Two police motorbikes part the crowds moments before the AG2R train comes zipping through.
Back at the 10km check, Alberto Contador's Tinkoff-Saxo team have gone quickest, two seconds quicker than Astana.
But that time is eclipsed by BMC, who go seven seconds clear of the field in a time of 10 minutes, 54 seconds.
What have Team Sky and Chris Froome got to offer?
Movistar magicpublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesHere come Movistar up to the line. Nairo Quintana is leading the team, alongside Alejandro Valverde and they cross the line in 32 minutes, 19 seconds to take the lead.
That is 31 seconds quicker than Astana's Vincenzo Nibali. The defending champion is losing time to the Colombian.
Now, what will the other teams be able to do?
Team Sky are offpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Chris Froome had fun and games with his yellow skinsuit last night. He has, of course, got a Sky one but because he is race leader he has to wear one from the organisers.
It was getting various adjustments made to it and he was testing it for 45 minutes last night before it was taken away to have all the sponsors added to it.
Postpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
The Team Sky boys are lining themselves up on the start ramp.
The current target time is Astana's 32 minutes, 50 seconds, although that could change. Whether Movistar, who were quickest at 20.5km will go quicker is unclear after their train derailed a short while ago.
BMC eyeing yellowpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Yellow Jersey
ClassificationBMC directeur sportif Yvon Ledanois said a little earlier today: "We're aware that we have the riders to win, we're the reigning world champions. If we don't have any problem, we'll be in yellow tonight. It would be a disappointment not to be."
BMC on the roadpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
The BMC Racing squad of Tejay van Garderen, who is third overall, 13 seconds behind Chris Froome, head down the start ramp.
Movistar mess uppublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
As I type that though the well-oiled machine falls apart. The riders have lost their rhythm on a climb. The fans are edging incredibly close to the action and several riders are gesticulating at the over-enthusiastic fans, trying to get them to move back.
It looks like Quintana shot off up a hill and his team-mates were unable to follow. As they reach the top they manage to get back together.
Movistar quickest at 20.5kmpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Eight luminous yellow jerseys, and the green of Peter Sagan, snake through the opening corners of the 28km route from Vannes to Plumelec as Tinkoff-Saxo get their challenge under way.
Movistar are looking a well-oiled machine. All nine riders are stil ltogether as they go through the 20.5km time check 18 seconds quicker than Astana.
That is great news for their leader Nairo Quintana.
Three to gopublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Just three teams left in the starting area then. But what a three. It's the Tinkoff-Saxo boys of Peter Sagan and Alberto Contador. BMC Racing, the world champions in this discipline, who have Tejay van Garderen in their ranks. And last to go at 15:45 is Team Sky.
Postpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesThe camera flicks straight to Chris Froome, who is head down, earphones in, continuing his warm-up.
Etixx - Quick-Step next off the ramp. That's the team of Mark Cavendish. He's not bad when it's a flat team time trial, says his mate Rob Hayles on commentary.
He knows today will be too lumpy for him though and also reminds us that they are missing key man Tony Martin.
Nibali's Astana team leadpublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2015
Image source, EPAVincenzo Nibali takes over the pace-setting duties as the slope steepens and they head into the final kilometre.
There is no point in him shooting off though. The time is stopped when the fifth rider in the team crosses the line.
They swing round a right-hander, all five remaining riders out of the saddle, stomping on the pedals and they finish in 32 minutes, 50 seconds to set the new best mark by three seconds.