Yep. You read that right. One of those big sun shade umbrellas, you know, the sort you can find in many pub beer gardens, flew up into the air and landed smack bang in the middle of the peloton.

Team Sky's Luke Rowe saw it coming and had to take evasive action. The parasol continued to bowl about as the riders warned those behind to stay clear.

Thankfully nobody really affected, apart from the bloke left chasing it down the road...

Right then you lucky, lucky people. If you click the link on this page you will be able to hear Simon Brotherton and Rob Hayles as they take you through the final 90km of stage six

Interesting Tour fact alertpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

14:28 BST 6 July 2017

Sylvain Chavanel, incidentally, is in his 17th Tour de France and is spending his 335th day on the race. It is one day more than Germany's Jens Voigt (334 between 1998 and 2014) and still six less than Lucien Van imp (341 between 1969 and 1985) - thanks to the Tour website for that nugget.

I think Joop Zoetemelk holds the record. The Dutchman, winner in 1980, is the only man to finish 16 Tours de France. He finished in the top five on 11 of those occasions.

The leaders are 93km from the finish in Troyes and lead by exactly three minutes.

Without searching, I'm going for Tommy Voeckler or Sylvain Chavenel, the men of vast experience in the Direct Energie team. I think they are both 38. #bbccycling

Some days you know that the break has half a chance of making it to the finish but this isn't one of them.

The trio out front are still three minutes clear but our friends at Le Tour, using a bit of new gadgetry, reckon it's doomed...

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As well as telling me if you think Chris Froome will stay in yellow until Paris, I'm wanting your cycling spitting images...#bbccycling

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At the Lord's Test match there'd be all sorts of hopping about on one leg with a Nelson scoreline. England are still to reach three figures, never mind 111 but at least they are still only four down and captain marvel Joe Root is plodding along nicely on 45.

In the middle of France, 111km to go means another two and a half hours in the saddle. It also means food time and riders are grabbing their musettes from the soigneurs as they ride on by.

The Trek Segafredo boys seem to have a bit more in their bags than the Cofidis guys. I wonder if they'll start trading?

Live commentary of stage six is coming up at 14:30 BST. Because of the pesky cricket at Lord's, it will only be available via the BBC Sport website.

Commentator Simon Brotherton and expert summariser Rob Hayles were busy packing the car before driving into Troyes for the finish.

Before they set off, they sent me their thoughts on whether the race will turn into a procession for Froome...

Rob: "Fabio Aru's team don't seem so strong up to this point. Team Sky have the strongest team here by the looks of it, followed by Richie Porte's BMC.

"The top 10 are within a minute and 10 seconds, so it's way too soon to say this is going to be ceremonial for Froome."

Simon: "Yesterday was the first climb we've seen and it was short and sharp, so didn't suit a lot of the guys like Quintana, Contador and even Geraint Thomas.

"It's an indicator but let's not go overboard in terms of what we read into it."

Speaking of Cav. He's had some serious issues to deal with on social media since his crash and subsequent disqualification of Peter Sagan.

The British sprinter has received "vile and threatening abuse" which he has asked to stop, reminding people it is only a sport.

And his wife Peta has revealed online trolls have wished their children "get cancer and die in pain".

Seriously? Come on. By all means disagree with the race officials but have a little respect. What is wrong with the world?

125km remainingpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

13:42 BST 6 July 2017

There really is very little happening out on the road, other than we have 190 riders in the peloton, chasing three up the road.

The FDJ team of Arnaud Demare and Lotto-Soudal squad of Andre Greipel have been doing much of the work for their sprinters.

The race started with 198 riders. The five already gone are: Mark Cavendish and Peter Sagan after stage three.

Alejandro Valverde and Ion Izagirre both crashed out on the rain-soaked slippery roads of the opening time trial, while Luke Durbrdge of Australia also had a spill and pulled out on Sunday.

I did say I'd warn you. Here we go...OJ and Rob cooling off, while taking you through what will happen today...

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Just 65km to the intermediate sprint, so we should be there in about 90 minutes time.

The race for the green jersey is the most open in years following Peter Sagan's disqualification for his part in the crash that also sent Mark Cavendish packing, with a broken shoulder.

Sagan, who has won the points classification every year since 2012, was aiming to match Erik Zabel's record of six successive wins.

French national champion Arnaud Demare currently leads the standings on 127 points, 40 clear of Germany's Marcel Kittel. Fellow sprinter Andre Greipel has 63 points.

In between them is Michael Matthews on 73. The Australian Team Sunweb rider is more in the mould of Sagan, in that he can climb a bit as well as sprint.

There is an intermediate sprint every day with the first 15 over the line scoring points from 20 down.

On a sprint stage at the finish, it's a similar deal, but with 50 points for the winner. So all still to play for...

Well, that was all a bit of an anti-climax. With only one point up for grabs and no chance of taking the polka dot jersey off the back of stage five winner Fabio Aru, the three just rolled over the line in formation.

Perrig Quemeneur was the man on the front.

The crowds lining the climb didn't seem too bothered to not see a fight for the point. At least it was the Frenchman, who 'won', 'beating' his new best mates from Norway and Belgium.

The three riders out front have seven cars and about a dozen motorbikes for company.

Three of the cars are clearly team cars, the bikes on top being a pretty obvious giveaway.

Then there's a couple of red cars, one with Christian Prudhomme in and one with presumably race officials. I'm guessing there's a medical car with a doctor in as well.

Anyway, the trio are on the Cote de Langres. Just 1.3km at an average of 6.3% so this will be over in a flash...

There's at least three hours of cycling left today. Plenty of time then to get you involved.

Inspired by Dean's tweet from yesterday afternoon and Thomas Voeckler's impending retirement, let's have your best look-a-likes. Get creative now...#bbccycling

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While there's a lull in the action, may I direct you to a couple of other live events currently being covered by the BBC Sport website?

To my right I have Tom Rostance covering all the action at Wimbledon.

Behind me, Stephan Shemilt is watching England struggle against South Africa at Lord's.

Be sure to come back though.

Chris Froome has been happily chatting to all and sundry in the peloton this morning. He even gave a big thumbs up to a passing television camera a little while ago.

He likes a thumbs up does our Chris. He'd have fitted right in on Henry Kelly's Euro-friendly quiz Going for Gold. Ask your parents kids.

Will Froome keep yellow to Paris? #bbccyling

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Sorry. I'll try not do that again. Or at least post a warning. As you were out on the road. 170km to Troyes.

The first bit of excitement is the category four ascent Cote de Langres in 23km or so. Just one King of the Mountains point on offer there.

And to mark your card for a little later, the race is going through Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises in the Haute Marne department - the site of the grave of former French president and general Charles de Gaulle.

The riders will contest the intermediate sprint in the village - that comes with 81km remaining.

I'm reliably informed by producer Gemma that the BBC Radio 5 live team have recorded today's Daily Pain preview of stage six, which will be available shortly.

Rob Hayles' take on today's stage: "A rolling flat stage with a couple of fourth category climbs, but apart from that it's the heat that will play a part today in what will be a heavy going day. But should definitely end up being one for the sprinters."

I'm guessing the full video will be live once they've dried off...

Image source, BBC Sport