Get Involvedpublished at 15:40
Taking a tumble
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Summary
Ruben Plaza wins stage, Peter Sagan second
Geraint Thomas falls into telegraph pole
Thomas able to continue and finish stage
Chris Froome retains overall 3min 10sec lead
British champion Peter Kennaugh quits
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:40
Postpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 20 July 2015
Simon Brotherton
Cycling commentatorQuote MessageThe peleton are going backwards - 18 minutes behind on a very hot day. Haller and Hansen really have the bit between their teeth now.
Postpublished at 15:37
Of course, Matt's excellent analysis is dependent on Adam Hansen and Marco Haller being caught. They have a lead of one minute now.
Easy street for the peloton.
25km to gopublished at 15:35
Image source, ReutersQuote MessageThe next 45 minutes of this race are going to be tactically fascinating. Twenty-three men up the road, 15 teams represented, six teams with two riders, one with three, a long but steady climb and then a very difficult descent. That would seem to point to the new Raymond Poulidor: 15-time stage runner-up, Peter Sagan, a master of the descent. But everybody in the break knows that. Therefore, he must be dropped on the way up. Who will do the work, though? Game theory on bikes.
Matt Slater, BBC Sport at the Tour de France
Postpublished at 15:34
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistQuote MessageEverybody feels that Chris Froome's bike handling isn't on par with most of the others, but he has proved this year he can mix it with the best of them, so it'll be interesting to see if they go after him on this descent.
Ominous...published at 15:31
But we've got a rest day first.
The peloton are now more than 17 minutes back so they've not exactly been full gas so far.
That said, doesn't mean we won't have attacks on Chris Froome from his yellow jersey rivals on the fast descent into Gap.
31km to gopublished at 15:28
Adam Hansen and Marco Haller have a lead of about 35 seconds over the chasing 21 riders. They are approaching the category two Col de Manse - but will they be able to get over it and stay away or will they be caught?
The chasing group don't look all that organised.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:25
Taking a tumble
Excellent question...
Postpublished at 15:24
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistIs the Tour still wide open?
Image source, ReutersQuote MessageIt certainly isn't over. Potentially, any of the GC riders on this descent could lose that [advantage] today. They've had a truck spraying water on the descent all day trying to keep the tarmac cool. If Chris Froome has a bad day, you can lose so much time on these inclines. Chris needs to keep as many of his team-mates with him as long as possible, and not panic.
36km to gopublished at 15:22
Adam Hansen is still out in front but he now has company. Austrian road racing champion Marco Haller has joined him. That could well be mutually advantageous.
Postpublished at 15:20
Simon Brotherton
Cycling commentator
Image source, ReutersQuote MessageThe peleton are a bit strung out now, but they're 15-and-a-half minutes behind the leading group riders, and they're not going to make that up.
Postpublished at 15:20
Postpublished at 15:19
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistQuote MessageI'm melting. But I did call home earlier and it was raining back home, so it fell on deaf ears
Postpublished at 15:19
Adam Hansen is currently cycling at 48.5km per hour.
Hansen on the movepublished at 15:17
Image source, EPAAdam Hansen is still working very hard to try to put some time between himself and the rest of the 22-man breakaway.
Hansen, of course, rides for Lotto-Soudal. He took a big fall and sustained a shoulder injury on stage two. The Aussie sure looks fit and strong right now. He has about a 30 second advantage.
Hansen is aiming to finish a 12th consecutive Grand Tour.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:13
Taking a tumble
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Postpublished at 15:10
Quote MessageGreetings from Gap, the Southern Alps' capital and home to France's 4th Light Infantry Regiment. And today is a stage for brave hearts. With Team Sky content to let the 23 riders in the break fight it out among themselves, the winner will be the man who survives the steep early part of the Col de Manse, gets his breath back on the easier upper slopes and then throws caution to the wind on the very twisty descent. It is 12km from the top to the finish line and the riders will be dropping more than 500m in elevation. Portugal's Rui Costa claimed a solo win here in 2013 but Tour historians will also remember the bend on the road - and mountain pasture - that did for Joseba Beloki and helped create the myth of Lance Armstrong's invincibility.
Matt Slater, BBC Sport at the Tour de France
46km to gopublished at 15:09
Image source, Getty ImagesIt really does look quite pedestrian in the peloton at the moment. They are 15 minutes back now. No surprise, of course, that Team Sky are on the front.
There has been an attack off the front of the breakaway group, with Adam Hansen, fit and healthy again, having a dash.
He, of course, eats pain for breakfast.
Postpublished at 15:07
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistYou can listen to live commentary of the remainder of this stage on the website and on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
Quote MessageWe have 22 teams in the Tour and there are only seven teams who have missed this move. Edvald Boasson-Hagen has two team-mates with him, so it could play into his hands
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:01
Taking a tumble
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