The peloton won't be waiting until the final 10km to bring this leading trio back at this pace.

Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo have a lead of 1'30'' as it stands.

Maybe the peloton want to make sure they finish in time for Sweden v England...

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

The peloton are zipping along so quickly that our commentary team are now coming on air early.

You can listen to live commentary of stage one of the 2018 Tour de France from Tom Fordyce and Rob Hayles by clicking the tab at the top of this page from 13:45 BST.

Former German rider Jens Voigt is of course referring to when the Orica-Greenedge (as Mitchelton-Scott then was) bus got stuck under the finish banner on stage one of the 2013 Tour.

Image source, Getty Images

Romain Bardet has just popped off the back for a bit but has four team-mates back with him, pacing the Frenchman back to the bunch.

A brief surge in the peloton brings the gap to the leading trio down under two minutes with 60km to go.

Where's your money for the stage winner? Let us know using #bbcccycling

The peloton have eased off a touch, allowing Cousin, Ledanois and Offredo to extend their gap back out to 2'23'' for now.

Chris Froome and Team Sky were jeered by some spectators at the presentation event on Thurdsay and the bus has just been booed when arriving at the finish line of stage one.

Froome told BBC Sport he was expecting "confrontation" during the race - the defending champion looks set to receive a frosty reception throughout.

1. Jerome Cousin - 20 points
2. Kevin Ledanois - 17
3. Yoann Offredo - 15
4. Fernando Gaviria - 13
5. Andre Greipel - 11
6. Arnaud Demare - 10
7. Maciej Bodnar - 9
8. Mark Cavendish - 8
9. Peter Sagan - 7
10. Alexander Kristoff - 6
11. Andrea Pasqualon - 5
12. Marcel Kittel - 4
13. Maximiliano Richeze - 3
14. Rick Zabel - 2
15. Marcus Burghardt - 1

James: Nibali is no outside threat. He is the threat. Nibali to win. No question.

That surge from the front of the peloton to compete for the remaining intermediate sprint points has brought the gap to the breakaway down.

Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo now have a lead of just 1'54'' as they swing through 75km to go.

Ouch!published at 12:56 British Summer Time 7 July 2018

12:56 BST 7 July 2018

Education First's Lawson Craddock went down in a feed zone earlier and TV pictures have just picked him up, receiving treatment from the medical car.

It looks like it was a bad crash - there is blood running from around his left eye and his left shoulder looks to have taken a whack.

Yet the Texan is smiling and still riding. Nails.

Here come the peloton towards the intermediate sprint point, places fourth to 15 up for grabs...

And Quick-Step's Fernando Gaviria jumps clear to take it, followed by Lotto Soudal's Andre Greipel.

Mark Cavendish was up there but just using it as a bit of a warm-up, as was Peter Sagan.

Is that a statement of intent by Gaviria? Watch out for the Colombian in the finale.

The leading trio were not remotely fussed by the intermediate sprint point, with Direct Energie's Jerome Cousin rolling through first, followed by Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo.

On they go, holding their lead at 2'11'' with just over 80km to go.

The breakaway are about to reach the first prize of the 2018 Tour - the intermediate sprint point.

Will they duke it out or just roll through?

It will be interesting to see how the peloton tackle it, with green jersey points on offer. Peter Sagan is going for a record-equalling sixth green jersey, will the world champion lay down an early marker?

Sylvain Chavanel is shortly about to ride past a large banner of himself, in honour of a record-breaking ride.

The 39-year-old Frenchman is competing in a record 18th Tour de France, beating the previous mark of 17 by Jens Voigt and Stuart O'Grady.

Chavanel has finished 15 of the 16 Tours he has started. Should he make it Paris this year, he will equal 1980 champion Joop Zoetemelk who finished all 16 that he entered.

Will the Direct Energie rider try to mark it with a breakaway victory at some point during the race?

Image source, Getty Images

It looks a gorgeous day in the Vendee - 24 degrees and sunny, with a slight crosswind coming from the right of the peloton.

It is 25 degrees in Salford though, just saying.

Cousin, Ledanois and Offredo continue taking turns but that gap is coming down - now at just two minutes 15 seconds.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas has said he wants to challenge Chris Froome and that he will be allowed to do so, up to a point.

He will become Team Sky's leader should Froome drop out of the race but any opportunities for the Welshman will be limited otherwise.

However, he has had a strong year, winning the Dauphine and the British national time trial title.

Depending on Sky's plan, he could make a bid to take the yellow jersey, perhaps on stage three's team time trial, having worn it in last year's race before crashing out.

Image source, Getty Images

The riders are over the halfway point of stage one. The peloton will be grateful it's been a sedate affair so far before the carnage of the sprint to come.

It's not been quite as sedate for Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo, trying to hold off the chasing pack. Their lead is holding around 2'25'' for now but will be brought back sharply later on.