Bauke Mollema picked up a bit of time on Adam Yates by the 10km time check, going through just 12 seconds slower than the Briton.

Still no confirmation on Froome's time. He has just 5km to go to the finish. So a couple more kilos of climbing and then it's the freewheel into Megeve.

Here comes Nairo Quintana into the finish. He is 48 seconds adrift of Tom Dumoulin. Is that his challenge over?

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC 5 live sports extra

Chris Froome doesn't have much muscle mass to hold on to any water that he has already in his system.

If you're already on the limit, then it becomes even harder.

I'm wondering if this is one step too far for him?

Romain Bardet is the next to come hurtling into Megeve for the finish. He too will not beat Tom Dumoulin. He swings wide round a sweeping right, takes a better line through the chicane-like finish and he crosses the line just over 20 seconds back.

How is Chris Froome doing? I want to see that again. The on-course time-check said three minutes down. That cannot be right. Allow me to get back to you...

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC 5 live sports extra

Earlier on, Nairo Quintana stated that he felt he felt he has many more years left in which to win the Tour de France...

Was that him giving up on the 2016 edition? Perhaps.

I think the best he can hope for now is a stage win, but he may even struggle to get that.

Here comes Richie Porte down to the finish. Inside the final kilometre for the Australian. He won't win the stage, perhaps paying for his blistering start, but he is coming up to the line, a left-right-left-right finish and he is beyond Tom Dumoulin's time but in second.

Froome is 13 seconds slower than Adam Yates through the 6.5km time check.

Nairo Quintana is losing time hand over first. Another 30+ seconds gone in the opening 6.5km. The Colombian is dropping down the order.

Here comes Adam Yates through the 10km time check 19mins 30secs, 40 seconds adrift of Dumoulin.

But crucially, he was 25 seconds quicker than Bauke Mollema through the 6.5km check. He started the day 26 seconds behind the Dutchman. You do the maths...

Adam Yates through the 6.5km check just one second slower than Tom Dumoulin. A great start by the 23-year-old, who is 10 seconds behind the quickest through that opening section - Richie Porte

Italy's Fabio Aru comes closest to catching Tom Dumoulin. The Italian comes across the line in 31 minutes, 16 seconds - just 12 seconds back.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC 5 live sports extra

There are an awful lot of crowds for Chris Froome to negotiate.

He has got to focus.

Chris Froome is through the flat section and on to his first bit of uphill. There are plenty of British flags waving but these are slightly nervy times with spectators encroaching into the middle of the road and parting at the last possible second.

Image source, BBC Sport

When Geraint Thomas told our Get Inspired team his nine tips for better hill climbing, did he have days like today in mind?

Australia's Richie Porte was quickest through the 6.5km time check, nine seconds quicker than Tom Dumoulin. The next big check is at 10km and he is currently a couple of minutes away from there.

Chris Froome is waving from the video screen above the start line. A couple of metres below, Chris Froome the person is a picture of concentration as he powers away from the start line.

He is quickly up to race speed as his Team Sky team car drops in behind him.

Fabio Aru is second quickest through the 10km time check, just 23 seconds behind Tom Dumoulin.

Race leader Chris Foome is off the turbo trainer, the aerodynamic helmet is on, a sip of drink, an ice pack on his neck. He has just three minutes to wait because Bauke Mollema, the man in second is away.

Will he still be two minutes, 27 seconds behind in around half an hour?

The 23-year-old Briton has been the big surprise of this year's Tour so far. After dropping Nairo Quintana on yesterday's summit finish, what has he got left in his legs?

Geraint Thomas coming through to the finish line. There is a technical section towards the end with lots of left and rights to negotiate. The Welshman is not pushing at all here and he finishes 12th, for now, in 32 minutes, 52 seconds

Rob Hatch on race commentary says: "Before the race I looked at this stage and thought Nairo Quintana could win this stage. Today, he never entered my head."

The Colombian starts three minutes, 27 seconds behind Froome. He is away and pedalling hard, on a full time time trial bike.

Here comes Adam Yates...

Richie Porte is next down the ramp. He has a road bike, with clip-on tri-bars and a normal helmet, which is surprising Rob Hayles on commentary. He says a lot of thought would have gone it to the bike and outfit

The Australian BMC Racing rider is among the favourites for today's stage win. The 10km time check will give us an indication of how he's going.

Italian hope Fabio Aru is toiling up Cote de Domancy as the highest-placed French rider Romain Bardet sets off. Bardet is fifth overall, four minutes, 15 seconds adrift of Froome.

Tom Dumoulin continues to lead the time trial from Thomas de Gendt as Movistar's Alejandro Valverde - a dark horse for today suggests Rob Hatch on radio commentary - gets going. 

Rob Hayles disagrees: "Looking at his rig and how he has set off, he is going to give this his top effort, potentially a top 10 finish. To think he can go out there and get a stage win is an ask beyond his capabilities."

You have to feel a bit for Valverde. He has buried himself for team-mate Nairo Quintana this Tour but the Colombian has failed to fire in the mountains and Movistar are struggling to get on the podium.

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