Yep, she just has too much for Elisa Longo Borghini, so Briitain's Lizzie Deignan claims her second second-placed finish of La Course.

But what about second - Deignan? We're about to find out.

The Dutch wider crosses the line, her second stage of a two stage race. Comprehensive.

She wins in a shade under 33 minutes, crossing the line in the Velodrome.

Image source, Getty Images

Yup, Van Vleuten smiling to the motorbike camera, looking very happy with life.

Annemiek van Vleuten, of course, is the Dutch rider who had a very, very heavy crash when leading the road race at the Rio Olympics.

I for one would be happy to see her win here.

She is extending her lead as she goes under the 2km flag - 1.49 now.

There are 1.4kms between Annemiek van Vleuten and the two chasing her.

Game over surely?

There are riders all over the road, labouring up the course's climb.

Annemiek van Vleuten still has a 90-second lead and is heading for La Course victory.

Longo Borghini is looking for help from Deignan, who seems happy to sit on the Italian's wheel.

Are we talking about a race for second here?

The group of three chasing Annemiek van Vleuten is starting to splinter, Megan Guarnier sliding off the back on the time trial's climb. About 10 bike lengths back now, hmm make that 25. Disappearing fast.

Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini together now.

I've just added Marseille to my must-go list. Looks great from the over-head shots.

It must all be passing in a blur for Annemiek van Vleuten. Still out on her own, several groups of riders in what has so far been fairly fruitless pursuit.

Van Vleuten on the course's climb at the moment.

The first pursuers still working hard, Lizzie Deignan among them.

Annemiek van Vleuten still maintaining her advantage - still 1.40.

Unless she blows up very soon surely the Dutch rider will win La Course by Le Tour?

Just a reminder that the men's time trial starts at 12:45 BST with Luke Rowe first off the ramp.

Chris Froome will be last to go, at 16:04 BST.

Marseille, it has to be said, looks pretty amazing from the overhead shots.

There are riders working together all over the 22.5km course - but realistically only the three chasing Annemiek van Vleuten have any chance of catching her.

The Dutch rider is a time-trial specialist and is working incredibly hard on the bike to keep them some way behind.

So far she is maintaining her advantage, which stands at 1.41.

OK, so we are well into the women's race now, a pursuit style stage that is intriguingly poised.

Annamiek van Vleuten is being pursued by three riders including Lizzie Deignan. Van Vleuten is about 90 seconds ahead.

Can they start to eat into that lead?

Image source, Getty Images

And just before we zone right in on the rest of the women's race for the next half hour or so, a word on what is coming later.

It is the penultimate stage of this year's Tour and Chris Froome - an excellent time trialler - heads into it with a 23-second advantage over Frenchman Romain Bardet, 29 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran.

"Certainly at this point it's my race to lose," said Froome after Friday's stage.

"I have to make sure I do everything right, follow the right processes and hopefully not have a bad day. I've got the legs, and hopefully everything else will be alright."

Froome finished sixth in the time trial on the opening day in Dusseldorf. None of his current GC riders were in the top 10.

Difficult to argue with this...

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Image source, Getty Images

Yep, we can see already that there are strategies at work here. Lizzie Deignan has waited for several of the riders behind her to catch up and they are now working together to try to catch up with Annemiek van Vleuten, who is effectively riding this as a time trial.

The chase group also includes Elisa Longo Borghini and Megan Guarnier.

So, several riders out on the course now. Although there seems to be a little confusion around timings and exactly which riders are out there already.

Image source, EPA

Yep, the first stage of La Tour took place on the same day as stage 18 and also ended up the Izoard.

The first 19 to finish compete today.

Where it gets interesting is that they are staggered by the time gap that separated them on the Izoard - so numerous riders are scheduled to start at the same time.

Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten won stage one with a 43-second advantage and headed out first - followed by Britain's Lizzie Deignan (43 seconds later).

Will we see lots of riders working together to try to chip away at their deficit and challenge the current leaders?

Will it come to a bunch finish?

Or will it just be chaos?

Whatever, it should be interesting.

Yep, before the individual men's time trial through the streets of Marseille later this afternoon, the snappily titled La Course by La Tour race comes to a conclusion.

That has just started with Annemiek van Vleuten heading off at the Velodrome for the 22.5kms that separate her from the finish.

And I have to say that the second and final stage of La Course has a pretty funky format - plus a strong British interest.

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