Out on the road, nothing much is happening. Nils Politt, Adam Hansen, Romain Sicard, Nathan Brown, Frederik Backaert and Romain Hardy continue on their merry way.

They are currently riding past a field of cows who are more content chewing on the grass than the circus that is whizzing by.

The lead is two minutes as they approach Deiffelt, a small town near the border into Luxembourg. I have to confess, I just had to get a colleague to spell out the name of the town.

Either my eyesight is worsening, or the Tour de France guide book needs to print in a bigger font.

Image source, AFP

#bbccycling with your predictions

Greg van Avermaet also reckons Ireland's Dan Martin will feature at the finish today. But the Belgian, who has been to recce the finish says he is "happy with this stage".

“ When I saw the hill at the end, my confidence got boosted," the BMC Racing rider told Le Tour website.

"Positioning before the climb will be very important, then it'll be up to the legs to do the talking. I don't have the whole team behind me, so it'll be hard to control the stage. But I can also profit from the work of the other teams that are interested in the stage win.

"Hopefully I can win the stage and (team-mate) Richie Porte doesn't lose any time, it would be perfect.

"There are a few days I can do my own stuffs and today is one of them. It's my first chance. Peter Sagan is the main favourite, then there are explosive riders like Kwiatkowski and Dan Martin who can do well too but I hope to beat all of them.”

If you head over to the BBC Radio 5 live facebook page, you can catch the Daily Pain, external - OJ Borg and Rob Hayles discussing stage three and Team Sky's skin suit.

Rob suggests the skin suit may be technically against the rules but adds: "If you go via the rules, aerodynamic helmets are illegal and FDJ, who were complaining, were wearing aerodynamic helmets."

Rob also picks Dan Martin as his favourite for today's stage. Do you agree? #bbccycling

Image source, Getty Images

Team Sky's top man Dave Brailsford has laughed off the skin suit claims.

Talking on ITV 4, he said: "I'm surprised because we've ridden in that skin suit since May. Nobody has mentioned it. No other team has raised it until now. If they are that slow picking it up they should have a look at their own performance.

"If another team is doing something new I know within 24 hours because we monitor other teams.

"We get derided about marginal gains but when it does work we get derided more.

"It's all part of the fun though and we enjoy ourselves."

While I'm taking about Team Sky, there's been a bit of a hoo-haa over their time trial skin suits on stage one...

The design of the suits, which featured 'bubble pads' - small raised dots on the arms - was questioned with Frederic Grappe, performance director at the FDJ team, saying: "It's enhanced aerodynamics and the regulations forbid it."

However, Team Sky sports director Nicolas Portal said they "abide by rules", adding: "Other big teams have been using it.

"It's legal. Everybody knows the rules. It does not give you a big advantage but it's those little things, so why not use them?

"Everything has been validated. We would not take the risk to cheat and lose everything on the first day."

Image source, Getty Images

Who will win? Will Geraint Thomas retain the yellow jersey? #bbccycling

Let's have a quick catch-up with what's happening out on the road...

The six hardy souls out front are enjoying the sun on their backs as they head due south through Belgium. The obligatory shot of the schoolkids lining the route as the peloton zips past in Trois-Ponts.

The peloton allowed the break to build up a lead of two minutes but no more. Are some teams wanting a tough race to try and knock the energy out of some of the puncheurs?

Team Sky are in their usual position, a couple of riders off the front, in a nice long line, with the still unfamiliar sight of Geraint Thomas in yellow.

While we're all thinking and the race rolls through Belgium, heading for the Luxembourg border, here's how the BBC Radio 5 live team roll at Le Tour. It's not the luxury you might expect...

If you are out following the Tour, do you follow Rob's mantra? And we want pics... #bbccycling

Image source, BBC Sport

According to radio producer Gemma Sterba, former GB cyclist and BBC Radio 5 live's expert summariser Rob Hayles travels light.

"Rob is currently driving and we've reached that point in the Tour already where his pants and socks are drying behind my head. He has a policy of wear one, wash one, dry one, and as a result has the smallest case of anyone covering this event."

Matt the first to nail his colours to the mast. Don't forget part two - will Geraint retain yellow?

I'm still thinking but will post my thoughts shortly. #bbccycling

Right place at the right time for the photographer...wrong place at the wrong time for the riders...very lucky to see nobody seriously injured.

The photo was taken by Chris Auld.

A bizarre sight at the Tour. The riders are spinning around Spa-Francorchamps, home of Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix.

I think the motorbike riders patrolling the race might be enjoying this more than the riders, who have almost come to a standstill in the peloton as they negotiate a U-turn.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

We have 190km remaining on today's stage and the next real bit of excitement should be at the intermediate sprint in around 65km or so.

To help me along today, I'm going to need your chat. I want your predictions for a stage winner and who will be race leader and wearing yellow at the end of the stage?

Will it be a day for the puncheurs? Philippe Gilbert was born in Verviers and the finish will suit him. But then it will also suit fellow Belgian Greg van Avermaet.

Or will one of the general classification riders try to claw back some of the time they lost on Chris Froome on stage one?

Is it too tough for Peter Sagan? Could Geraint Thomas claim another shock win?

The predictions of the BBC Radio 5 live team will be coming in once they've parked up in Longwy. In the meantime #bbccycling for you thoughts.

Image source, EPA

Nathan Brown is the first man to attack with the summit of the Cote de Sart in sight. Nobody can live with his pace and the American takes the solitary point on offer. Brown has set out his stall early doors here to try and take the jersey off his team-mate Taylor Phinney.

The peloton rolls over a couple of minutes later in less animated finish.

American Taylor Phinney is making his Tour debut and managed to pick up a couple of King of the Mountains points after getting in the break on Sunday.

He is in the polka dot jersey today but he won't be wearing it tomorrow with five categorised climbs today.

Three more riders have managed to jump clear of the peloton and the selection has finally been made. We have six riders clear.

Nils Politt, Adam Hansen and Romain Hardy have been joined by Nathan Brown of Cannondale-Drapac, Frederik Backaert of Wanty-Groupe Gobert and Direct Energie's Romain Sicard.

They have been allowed to move 90 seconds clear and the sextet are on the first category four climb of the day - the Cote de Sart - a 2.8km ascent with an average gradient of 5.1%.

Image source, AFP

Nils Politt of the Katusha team and Adam Hansen of Lotto-Soudal are two of the trio in the break. The other is Fortuneo rider Romain Hardy.

But there is a counter-attack from the peloton. Around a dozen riders, including Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski have ridden clear and in pursuit.

But that is soon caught and the three out front have a small 18-second advantage over the bunch.

It's all a little confusing out there on the road right now as the riders settle into the stage.

Three riders look to have got away. There's definitely a Katusha-Alpecin rider in there and one from Lotto-Soudal. There's also a rider from Direct Energie trying to bridge the gap. Is that Thomas Voeckler.

The peloton has finally sat up after a frantic opening six kilometres.

The Direct Energie rider is Romain Sicard but he is in no-man's land, caught between the break and the peloton.