Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist at the Tour de France

And just like that, Daniel's query is answered...

You have to have the sprint stages and they are generally the longer ones. They can be quite dull, it has to be said, until the closing stages, but you have to have those in place. However, if you were to put the intermediate sprints closer to the start I think that would encourage more racing. Also if they increased the points available there that also could entice some more competition too.

Daniel's also emailed me with a question for Rob Hayles on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra (online only, via the link at the top of the page).

After the thrilling stages of the last two days, it begs the question of why there aren't more stages like these planned in? It's like Formula 1 when the track encourages teams to use different strategies. So my question is: Do the organisers try and maintain the overall length for Le Tour? If not why have the long, flat days? Surely the shorter hilly stages take more out of the riders than the longer flat days?

Image source, AFP

Out on the front of the race, we're still rolling along nicely towards the category-one Col de Peyra Taillade. That's coming up in about 43km. There are 76km to go in total.

The 28 lead riders - a group that includes King of the Mountains leader Warren Barguil, Thibaut Pinot, Michael Matthews, Tony Martin and Nicolas Roche - are now over seven minutes clear of the peloton.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist at the Tour de France

Dave from Buxton earlier emailed in to ask:

What does Rob think of the last little climb at about 5km from the end of today's stage? I rode it yesterday and didn't find it hard, but expect it to be a launchpad for victory.

It could very well be a launchpad. But my biggest question to you Dave would be: Have you sold your soul and are drinking rival Vittel mineral water, or do you bring your own supply?

The BBC Radio 5 live van is on its way up to the finish line...

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Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist at the Tour de France

Here's Rob's answer to Sebastian's earlier question (14:04), on whether Romain Bardet has enough in him to be the first Frenchman in a long time to win the tour?

I think he is proving he has the ability. But more important for a French rider, he can deal with the pressure. To be able to ride over three weeks and hold your own is difficult, and a lot of French riders have struggled with that over the years. His team is strong enough but at the moment there are rivals and rival teams who are better, most notably Chris Froome and Team Sky.

Those leading 28 riders feel like stretching their legs again. The gap over the peloton expanding to six minutes and 18 seconds now.

The route just lifts slightly over a bit of a climb here, but the real work will come over the category-one Col de Peyra Taillade. That's about 55km from now.

It has a seriously brutal middle section, with parts at 14%. Let's zoom in on it below.

Image source, .

Image source, .

Dave from Buxton emails in to ask:

What does Rob think of the last little climb at about 5km from the end of today's stage? I rode it yesterday and didn't find it hard, but expect it to be a launchpad for victory.

Cheers, Dave from Buxton, currently waiting at the 2km to go banner under the fantastic church on the rock at Le Puy.

Image source, EPA

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

We are no longer alone.

If, like me, you are tired of my spaghetti Bolognese, use the links at the top of the page to hear Simon Brotherton and Rob Hayles' expert commentary.

And keep your questions for Rob coming in.

Here's another...

Nope. Michael Matthews takes it and cuts Marcel Kittel's green jersey lead to 79 points.

A decent day at the office for Team Sunweb so far.

Warren Barguil has taken all of the King of the Mountains points so far, and now Matthews has come good too.

Next job, the stage win. It's easy this cycling...

We're a couple of km from the intermediate sprint. Will anyone bother to fight Michael Matthews for it?

BBC Radio 5 live

OJ Borg is also out on the road...

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I'd be interested to know exactly what is in those food bags.

I've just got back from holiday and returned to find what I assume was once a banana in my own saddlebag. A grim discovery.

Out on the road, the lead group of 28 is now almost six minutes ahead of the peloton, with the day's intermediate sprint about six kilometres away.

Michael Matthews will have his eyes on the prize...

Image source, .

Lunchtime.

Team Sky allow an Astana rider to momentarily nip in at the front of the peloton so there's more space for him to snatch the right feed bag.

Chris Froome and company, very much in control of the pace in the main bunch, will presumably loading up on something less refined than my diminishing portion of spaghetti Bolognese.

I say refined. The truth is I put in too much carrot. It's not one of my best.

Atmosphere building at the stage finish already - with fans from as far as Colombia already in situ.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

And as my colleague Gemma Sterba in Le Puy-en-Velay points out, race organisers are doing their best to keep everyone cool...

Image source, BBC Sport

I should also add that Sebastian gets special mention for writing in while, as he puts it: "hiding away in your room doing 'homework' as you prepare for exams."

I hope that doesn't put you in jeopardy, Seb...

I've been asking you to send in questions for Rob Hayles, who'll be on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentary from about 14:30 BST.

Sebastian Bell has just emailed in (you can too, at patrick.jennings@bbc.co.uk).

Or you can tweet using #bbccycling or text in on 81111.

Sebastian writes: Who might run away with the stage victory? Will be a climber like Barguil or more of a rouleur/breakaway specialist such as De Gendt? I know I would like to see Martin win a stage on a solo break within the last ten kilometres and after yesterday's brief outburst it appears he is in the hunt for a stage victory. What are your thoughts?

Also, does Bardet have enough in him to be the first Frenchman in a long time to win the tour?

Image source, AFP

There's a long way to go yet (117.6km) but surely if we're looking for a potential stage winner it'll be from this big old group of 28 at the front of the race.

BMC have got four riders in the bunch - Roche, Moinard, De Marchi, Caruso.

Lotto-Soudal and Katusha have got three riders each, as have Sunweb, with Matthews, Geschke and Barguil.

Matthews' first priority will be picking up maximum points in the day's intermediate sprint though. That's coming up in about 30km.

I said earlier that you never know what's coming next at the Tour de France.

Well former US Secretary of State John Kerry is being interviewed on ITV4.

He reveals he broke his leg just before he was due to ride up the Col du Grand Colombier when he was in Switzerland negotiating with Iran over their nuclear programme.

On the race, he adds: "Froome looks very tough, very strong, but Wednesday and Thursday are going to be very telling, and there is still the time trial in Marseille. I'm not going out on that limb."

All together at the front.

Twenty-eight riders now at the head of the race. Michael Matthews is in there, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot, Tony Martin, Nicolas Roche. Big names.

The peloton is four minutes and 20 seconds further back, with under 130km still to go.