Get Involvedpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Jack Peyton: Breakaway to be caught on the last climb, with @_danielmartin_, external to win. #BBCCycling, external If I'm honest I have no idea... Maybe Avermaet
Summary
Slovakia's Peter Sagan wins to take overall lead
Mark Cavendish loses yellow jersey on a day not suited to his skills
Defending champion Chris Froome fifth overall
Two-time winner Alberto Contador loses time on Froome
Stage 2: 183km from Saint-Lo to Cherbourg-En-Cotentin
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Postpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
If viewing on mobile, click the link to see & hear from roving reporter OJ Borg.
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End of twitter postIs Thomas back?published at 15:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Geraint Thomas is Team Sky's back-up plan should anything happen to Chris Froome. They can ill-afford for him to lose any time today. Hang on, I think I just saw his distinctive white-rimmed sunglasses at the back of the Sky train.
If he is, how much has he got left for the finish?
The lead is still three minutes with 16km remaining. It all depends on this final climb. It's only two kilometres long but it's got a nasty 14% drag for a short section.
Postpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistYou cannot afford to take your foot off the gas, and the GC contenders need to stay in contention today because before you know it you could lose a minute. That's why it favours Chris Froome of all the GC riders today, because he's up at the head of the peloton.
Will the break hang on?published at 15:53 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
The three in the break are riding gingerly through a village. Nobody wants to take a spill this late on in the race. A few sharp lefts and rights are helping them because they can negotiate tight bends quicker than a bunch of 180 riders.
There is a bit of panic in the peloton. The lead is three minutes with 20km remaining.
Will this break hold on? And where is Geraint Thomas?
Three left in the breakpublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Our leading quartet is down to a trio. Italy's Cesare Benedetti has dropped away as the riders go under the 25km to go banner. The rain has also started to fall again.
Back in the peloton and BMC Racing have taken up position down the left of the road. Tinkoff and Astana are down the middle. Team Sky are gathering on the right.
Atmosphere at the finishpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
If viewing via mobile, click the link to see & hear roving reporter OJ Borg from the finish line as we wait for today's denouement.
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End of twitter postPuncture for Thomaspublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Puncture for Geraint Thomas. The Welshman is back at his Team Sky car getting a new front wheel. "It's not an ideal time because the pace is stepping up," says Rob Hayles on commentary.
Most of his team-mates are up near the front of the peloton so he's got a bit of work to do to get back in. He's using the team cars following the race to get back in. He is 30 seconds back and this is not going to be easy because the pace has gone up again.
The Tinkoff team putting the hurt on. They are riding for world champion Peter Sagan today.
Lead under four minutespublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
The lead is tumbling so we'll give a final namecheck to Paul Voss and Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18), Vegard Breen (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo).
Our quartet have done their respective teams proud but they will soon be caught. 30km remaining and the lead is under four minutes.
One IAM Cycling rider is pulling the peloton along, with half a dozen Direct Energie guys behind him. IAM's man for today is Leigh Howard.
Peloton ups the pace - finallypublished at 15:33 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
The pace is on. Rather than being spread out across the road, there is more of an arrowhead being formed. Direct Energie have taken over the pacing duties from Dimension Data and knocked another 40 seconds off the lead.
The advantage is down to four minutes with 35km remaining.
'The climb to the finish is a bit of a brute'published at 15:30 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
We've probably got just under an hour's racing left today. So, in case you missed it earlier, BBC Radio 5 live's OJ Borg has been out on his bike, in the rain, to look at the finishing climb. "It starts off fairly easy and then it kicks right up and I can almost guarantee that is where all the sprinters will go," he said.
The whole climb is only a couple of kilometres but that "kick right up" is a 200m section with a gradient of 14%. The road then flattens out a bit before a shorter uphill drag to the finish line.
If you're viewing via mobile, click on the link below to watch the rest of his thoughts.
You can, of course, listen to live commentary on this very website. Click the link at the top of the page.
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End of twitter post'Real test for Contador'published at 15:29 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistWhen you get into the last 40km, it's up and down, twisty and turn-y, and Contador with his sore shoulder, it starts to grate. If you have an injury like that, it really ups the pressure.
Could it be a day for Voeckler?published at 15:29 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
We are into the final 40km and the lead is bang on five minutes. Paul Voss, with the King of the Mountains polka dots on his back, leads the quartet out front up another incline. Hugely rolling terrain at the moment.
There are several teams fighting to get on the nose of the peloton. BMC Racing, IAM Cycling, Astana, Movistar, Direct Energie are all up there.
Direct Energie is an interesting one. They have this year's Tour de Yorkshire winner Tommy Voeckler in their ranks. The gurning French veteran will love this finish but will he have the legs to match his younger rivals?
Alaphilippe staying backpublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Julian Alaphilippe, the Etixx - Quick-Step rider touted as a potential winner today is towards the back of the peloton as the riders take a left on a roundabout. It catches a fair few riders out who are bunny-hopping over bits of road furniture.
Michael Morkov, the Katusha rider who clipped a barrier to trigger the big crash in the sprint finish yesterday, is dropping out of the back of the peloton on an incline. He's riding alongside Ireland's Sam Bennett. He too was caught in the crash yesterday and his wounds look to be weeping through his jersey as he too drifts away.
Today's stage might have suited the Bora-Argon 18 rider but just finishing will be a bonus.
Carkey-gatepublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistIt looked touch-and-go whether our team in France would be able to bring you coverage today when they lost their car keys...
There were cat fights, tears, punches thrown, then just when we thought we were going to have to throw a brick through the car window, lo and behold another UK channel revealed they had walked off with our keys last night - accidentally on purpose...
Movement in the pelotonpublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Finally we have some animation in the peloton. The lead starts to drop - 20 seconds disappear inside a kilometre.
Movistar are moving up, making sure Nairo Quintana is nice and safe with perhaps one eye on Alejandro Valverde for the stage win.
BMC Racing are also moving up. Greg van Avermaet is their big rider for today. Just 45km to go and the lead is 5'23".
'Classic Cav'published at 15:10 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclistI'm sure he'd rather be wearing a yellow jersey rather than the yellow rain jacket, but Mark looks absolutely classic.
Image source, AFPget involved Get Involvedpublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
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Gap holding firm at six minutespublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Out on the road, the gap is back up to nearly six minutes with a little over 50km remaining. Team Dimension Data continuing to make all the running in the peloton.
Is this getting close for the breakaway to succeed? On a flat run-in the rule of thumb is that it takes 10km to bring back each minute. The hilly terrain to come means that can be extended a bit but if nobody helps Dimension Data soon then our quartet out front might start getting excited.
Expect crashes in the closing stagespublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist"The final 10-11km is extremely twisty and turny and wet and that is where accidents are going to happen. There are going to be riders looking for the stage win while the General Classification riders will also want to be up there, keeping out of trouble and their teams will be vigilant."