It's an uphill drag out of Verviers and Thomas De Gendt is the first man to get a move on. The Lotto-Soudal rider has a massive engine and he is pulling half a dozen riders with him.

It looks like my favourite rider Thomas Voeckler is also in this initial selection. Yes he is! The unmistakable tongue hanging out of the mouth approach as he battles to make the break stick.

Voeckler is riding in his final Tour after 15 years of service but today might not be his day. The peloton is not liking the make-up of that break and has reeled it back in.

Image source, AFP

Here's race director Christian Prudhomme, popping his head out of the sunroof to wave his white flag and stage three is go, go go!

The riders are just setting off from Verviers, in Belgium for the 212.5km race to Longwy in France, via Luxembourg.

It's a lumpy, bumpy affair, with five categorised climbs, although none of them are particularly testing. However, the drag up to the finish in Longwy means there will be no bunch sprint finish.

It's a day for the puncheurs - the riders who like the short, sharp punchy climbs - but the general classification riders like Chris Froome, Richie Porte, Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Fabio Aru will be keeping a close eye on each other.

Image source, Tour de France

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 4hrs 53mins 10secs

2. Stefan Kung (Swi/BMC Racing) +5secs

3. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Quick-Step) +6secs

4. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr/Team Sky) +7secs

5. Matteo Trentin (Ita/Quick-Step) +10secs

6. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +12secs

7. Jos van Emden (Ned/LottoNL) +15secs

8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Team Sky) Same time

9. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Dimension Data) +16secs

10. Nikias Arndt (Ger/Sunweb) Same time

Selected:

26. Simon Yates (GB/Orica-Scott) +37secs

44. Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +47secs

48. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar +48secs

56. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +51secs

59. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +52secs

62. Alberto Contador (Spa/Trek-Segafredo) +54secs

Despite the crash, which came with about 30km of the stage to Liege remaining, both Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome finished stage two in the main bunch.

That meant Thomas retained the race lead and will wear the yellow jersey for a second day.

And Froome remained sixth, just 12 seconds behind team-mate Thomas but more importantly, retaining the advantage he built over his rivals for the overall win in the opening time trial.

Image source, Reuters

Hello and welcome to stage three of the 2017 Tour de France.

After a sensational Saturday for Team Sky, slippery Sunday showed why nothing can be taken for granted.

Both race leader Geraint Thomas and defending champion Chris Froome were brought down in a crash, through no fault of their own, as heavy rain throughout made for a treacherous stage.

On another day it could well have been race over for both - just check out Alejandro Valverde's knee-breaker from Saturday - but the cycling Gods were smiling and both will pedal on today.

Image source, Getty Images