4km to gopublished at 15:59
Degenkolb? Greipel? Kristoff? Coquard?
Summary
Stage 15: Mende to Valence, 183km
Andre Greipel wins sprint finish
Mark Cavendish in group of stragglers
Chris Froome maintains three mins, 10 secs lead
Movistar's Nairo Quintana second in GC
4km to gopublished at 15:59
Postpublished at 15:57
5.5km to gopublished at 15:56
World road race champion Michal Kwiatkowski has a go off the front but he won't stay away.
7km to gopublished at 15:55
Always terrifies me watching the peloton hurtle around a roundabout. BMC still driving the pace, with Rohan Dennis on the front. Protecting Tejay van Garderen. Team Sky aren't too far behind them.
Soon the team with sprinters will start to move forward.
The temperature is 33C. Yup
Fast...published at 15:52
There are less than 10km left for the main group. Double that for the Cav group.
A big Cav clue...published at 15:50
Postpublished at 15:48
So, we've not had a sprint finish since Mark Cavendish won in Fougeres on 10 July. That is a lot of miles ago - and that is about to change.
We are just 12km away from an almighty thrash to the line.
Cav under the weather?published at 15:47
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistQuote MessageI'm very surprised that Mark Cavendish is not up there today, he was a favourite to win this stage. I wonder if he is feeling OK as there has been illness in some teams and once one rider gets ill it can sweep through in no time.
Postpublished at 15:45
The 23 riders in the group that includes Mark Cavendish are 12 minutes behind. He must be well fed up, knowing that he will not be part of the sprint finish. Still, at least they will not be timed out.
BMC currently driving the pace on the front of the peloton with 15km to go.
Yellow jerseypublished at 15:42
Image source, EPAIt has been a very steady and unspectacular day for the yellow jersey contenders so far today. Their key tussles, one suspects, lie on the other side of Tuesday's rest day.
Chris Froome, after the events of yesterday, probably wants a day without any headlines.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:38
What was Pierre Rolland doing (15:25)? Mark has the answer...
Postpublished at 15:36
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistQuote MessageI think that Andre Greipel must be the favourite for this stage now. Alex Kristoff has not looked at his best this Tour but I'm sure he will want to make the most of this opportunity.
23km to gopublished at 15:35
Image source, APQuote MessageEverything is about to speed up now as the peloton hurtles towards Valence. Overall speed, decision-making, gaps forming and closing, positioning into corners...the slightest thing could make the difference. There are two roundabouts about 5km out and then a sharp left-hand turn. It is completely flat but there is a slight turn to the right about 400m from the finish. The last 300m is straight and pretty wide. It is going to be blisteringly fast.
Matt Slater, BBC Sport at the Tour de France
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:33
Who will win today?
Text 81111 or use #bbccycling
Not over yet...published at 15:31
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistQuote MessageChris Froome has a nice buffer going into the final week but as we have seen before in the Alpine stages, you can easily lose that in one day. Some of the yellow jersey contenders have said they are just waiting for the final week.
All back together (sort of)published at 15:29
Image source, EPAMatteo Trentin and Ryder Hesjedal are swallowed up. I was about to write that the peloton is all back together - but of course the 23 riders including Mark Cavendish are a good 12 minutes back.
There are 27.5km remaining.
Who will win the sprint?published at 15:27
Who do we fancy for a sprint finish? Andre Greipel? Bryan Coquard (we've seen Eurostar driving the pace a lot today)? John Degenkolb? Alexander Kristoff?
Text 81111 or #bbccycling
Ready for a rest day?published at 15:25
The second rest day of the Tour is on Tuesday. I for one think the riders deserve a day off.
I think Team Europcar's Pierre Rolland is looking forward to his day off - although I'm not sure what he was doing in the team coach this morning.
Answers on a postcard. Hmm, scratch that, text 81111 or #bbccycling
Listen uppublished at 15:23
Don't forget you can listen to the remainder of the stage by clicking on the play icon on this page.
Simon Brotherton and Rob Hayles will be talking you through the drama to come.
You can also listen to their latest podcast.
Breakaway swallowed uppublished at 15:16
Image source, EPAThe main group has swallowed up the bulk of the breakaway. Only Matteo Trentin and, behind him, Ryder Hesjedal remain clear. There are still 38km to go.