Back to itpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Words. Fail. Me. #bbccycling
Summary
Peter Sagan wins; Chris Froome second
Froome extends overall lead to 28 secs
Froome part of late four-man breakaway
Mark Cavendish suffers late mechanical
Stage 11: Carcassonne-Montpellier - 162.5km
Back to itpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Reading in Egypt?published at 15:16 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Not really extreme weather riding, but intrigued to learn we have readers in Egypt!
#bbccycling
Kittel wins intermediate sprintpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Here we come into the intermediate sprint and Marcel Kittel has a lead-out train that guides him over the line first to pick up 20 points in the race for the green jersey.
Peter Sagan follows him over with Mark Cavendish in his slipstream.
Mont Ventoux decision soonpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Rob Hatch and Rob Hayles are discussing tomorrow's summit finish and they say that a decision is expected at 17:00 this afternoon - whether that is French or BST I'm not sure but we will of course bring you it as soon as we get it.
We've got a few bits of video about Mont Ventoux which we will be bringing you tomorrow.
Another crashpublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Image source, Getty ImagesOne of Nairo Quintana's key domestiques Winner Anacona is among those down. Tinkoff's Rafa Majka is also picking his bike up off the floor, with the help of a local Gendarme.
The peloton knocks off the pace a little to allow the stricken riders to get back on. No attacks when there's been a crash.
To feed or not to feedpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Rob Hayles has emailed me his thoughts on how the riders tackle a shorter stage...
"Although it's a shorter stage time-wise, in terms of effort it will be similar as the high speed and higher effort is condensed. There's also the effect of nervous energy so fueling is still key, bearing in mind the stage we're at with residual fatigue and the potential big day tomorrow."
You can listen to coverage from Hatch and Hayles on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra right now.
Ventoux in the hail?published at 15:02 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Check. Chapeau. #bbccycling with your extreme weather rides
Here's Saganpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Here comes Peter Sagan, bulldozing his way to the front of the peloton. We are chugging towards the day's intermediate sprint - in 10km - and he has designs on picking up maximum points in the battle for the green jersey.
The Slovak is already in possession of it, having taken it off Mark Cavendish on stage 10. Will any of the sprinters contest this or save their energy for the finish - most are already resigned to the fact that Sagan will win his fifth successive green jersey.
Chris Froome is not happy with this though and orders his Team Sky sentries to push on and they immediately swallow up the break.
Arthur Vichot and Leigh Howard's day is done, about 50km earlier than they would have hoped.
If it wasn't for that pesky Yatespublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
#bbccycling for your extreme weather rides
As it standspublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
We are powering towards the finish line in Montpellier so let's have a little reminder of how the overall standings are looking.
Chris Froome leads the way of course with fellow Brit Adam Yates in second, just 16 seconds back and Ireland's Dan Martin in third.
Will it be like that in a couple of hours? Stay tuned...
Always go preparedpublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
#bbccycling for your extreme weather rides
BBC Radio 5 live commentary at 15:00 BSTpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Image source, EPAA quick reminder that Rob Hatch and Rob Hayles will be live on this very website from 15:00 BST to bring you commentary of the closing 60km or so of today's stage.
Our intrepid duo out front are just 21 seconds clear as the race powers up a 10% incline. It's only a short ramp though so no categorised climb.
Team Sky are on the front of the peloton. Torture for Arthur Vichot and Leigh Howard. If they look over their shoulders they can see the pack coming to gobble them up but the pack is not quite ready to eat.
The great British summerpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
#bbccycling for your extreme weather rides
More splits in the pelotonpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Image source, Getty ImagesEcholons galore forming and splits are occuring. There are maybe 30 riders right out the back but Mark Cavendish is happily up near the front, as is Chris Froome in his yellow jersey.
Nairo Quintana is also looking good up front.
More bad news for Cavendish though in that Daniel Teklehaimanot, one of his Dimension Data team-mates, has been dropped. It looks like Cav could be jumping from wheel-to-wheel and sharing the lead-out trains of others in the run-in.
The leading two are just 30 seconds clear now, although now the crosswinds have abated the peloton may ease up a little.
How much snow?published at 14:43 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Could you imagine the state of that road in England? #bbccycling with extreme weather rides
Stage winner Matthews out the backpublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Yesterday's stage winner Michael Matthew is one of the riders currently out the back of the peloton. Many riders have got back on but the Australian is in a group of five riders pushing hard.
There is a slight incline up ahead which will help them get back on, but they will have used up an enormous amount of energy in doing so.
Feeding timepublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
The riders are powering through the feedzone, leaving a lot of soigneurs with a lot of musettes swinging from their arms. I'm not sure how much food is needed en route today - I'll get Mr Hayles to tell us - or maybe the thought of another energy gel or flapjack is starting to turn the stomach.
If I didn't eat my tea as a child it would go in the fridge and be there for breakfast the next day. I wonder if the riders face the same punishment...
...to the ridiculouspublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
No pics Chris? Disappointed! #bbccycling with your extreme weather rides
From the sublime...published at 14:32 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
Echelons explainedpublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 13 July 2016
So, the riders were not riding directly behind each other, more on each other's shoulders in a diagonal slant to try shelter from the wind.
Why do they form? Here's Rob Hayles to explain:
"Echelons start by a team applying pressure and riding hard on the front. If the wind is coming from the left-hand side, riders behind will ride on the right-hand side to protect themselves from that wind, that is how it's formed in a diagonal from left to right.
"So if the wind is coming from the right, then riders will do the opposite and fight for the left. There's obviously only so much room to protect themselves and eventually they have to ride directly behind the wheel due to the edge of the road. At that point there is potential for riders to lose the wheel in front as they are hitting the force of the wind, much like the riders up front.
"Depending on how hard the team up front is working, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, for the weaker riders further back to close on the wheel in front."