The gap continues to go out to Marcel Kittel, who is now into survival mode, just trying to get through today.

Nacer Bouhanni is 30 seconds ahead but still one minute 50 seconds behind the peloton.

Cofidis sprinter Nacer Bouhanni is endeavouring to make it back to the peloton has attacked from the group containing Marcel Kittel.

He's got a team-mate in Julien Simon with him but it's a fair task to close down a gap of over two minutes.

If he can make it, the French sprinter no doubt fancies a stage win today, with Marcel Kittel still caught behind.

The peloton have just gone over the summit of the second climb of the day, the category four Col du Ruovey.

Warren Barguil duly popped off the front to mop up the single king of the mountains point on offer and extend his lead in that competition.

No surprise as George Bennett steps off and abandons the Tour de France.

Huge shame for the Kiwi rider, who started the day 12th on general classification but was clearly struggling with something, having dropped over five minutes behind the peloton.

Sunweb still doing most of the work on the front of the peloton and are building this advantage to the green jersey group of Marcel Kittel behind.

It's out towards two minutes now with just over 100km left to race.

Rob Blackmore: Hoping the general classification plays a pivotal part today. Love to see Dan Martin go on the attack. Very unlucky last week!

Fortuneo-Oscaro's British spinter Dan McLay is currently the Tour de France's Lanterne Rouge - the title given to the last man on general classification.

An honour of a kind, but the New Zealand-born rider will be concerned that he might get cut from the race today if the gap to the group he is in continues to grow to the front of the race.

He's in the last group on the road - alongside team-mate Laurent Pichon and George Bennett - five minutes behind the peloton.

Apologies, the starter's list wasn't updated earlier but there are actually 174 riders remaining in the race, not 175.

The man not to start today's stage? Quick-Step's Philippe Gilbert, who is suffering viral gastroenteritis. Thoroughly unpleasant illness to be struck down by, hope he gets well soon.

That's also a big loss for Marcel Kittel's Quick-Step team.

The gap between Marcel Kittel's group and the peloton is now out to one minute 30 seconds.

The green jersey really doesn't look up to it today.

Sylvain Chavanel is duly swallowed up and the race is back together at the front.

Still a big group caught behind this peloton, though.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist at the Tour de France

Marcel Kittel has been been caught out but he's with a lot of other riders including some of his team-mates so he has an opportunity to be brought back.

Nacer Bouhanni is there as well which might help.

Thomas de Gendt didn't make it so Sylvain Chavanel is out solo, with a lead of 20 seconds over a peloton of 124 riders.

The big news, though, is that Marcel Kittel has been dropped and is now over a minute behind that peloton.

Looks like no sixth win of the Tour for him today at this rate.

The TV pictures have located Marcel Kittel - the German looks worse for wear. I don't think he's getting back on today.

His Quick-Step team-mate Zdenek Stybar comes to the front of that group, but that could just be to get himself back up to Dan Martin in the peloton.

Sunweb looked to have played this one superbly for Michael Matthews.

The peloton close to around 22 seconds behind the leading group of five.

That's far too close for Sylvain Chavanel as the Frenchman tries to go it alone.

Thomas de Gendt is now trying to bridge the gap.

George Bennett is now off the back of the group containing Marcel Kittel, who are still chasing the peloton.

The Kiwi started the stage 12th overall, just over six minutes behind Chris Froome, but must be struggling with something today.

The wind is already playing havoc out there. Sunweb are gunning it at the front of the peloton - partly to bring the group of five out front back and open up the race, but largely to keep distancing Marcel Kittel in the green jersey behind.

Just heard that Marcel Kittel is still fighting to get back to the peloton.

He's some 40 seconds adrift in a big group that also contains George Bennett, who is currently 12th overall.

The gap is coming down but the big German will need to close it quickly. He has the might of Julien Vermote and Zdenek Stybar to help him.

That group of Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie), Thomas Degand (Wanty), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Daryl Impey (Orica) have built on their lead to establish themselves as the first main break of the day.

A frantic start to stage 16 as a break still tries to establish itself and plenty of races within the race.

Let us know your thoughts on today's stage - one for the sprinters? A sixth victory for Kittel? Or will a small group contest the finish?

And how about your predictions going into this final week of the Tour?

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Thomas de Gendt crosses over the summit of the Cote de Boussoulet to claim two points in the king of the mountains classification.

Michael Matthews and his Sunweb team follow but Jack Bauer has ridden like a man possessed to bring that counter-attacking group back.

So that first attack on Marcel Kittel ultimately fails. But expect Sunweb to keep trying.