Talking of Lotto-Soudal, Thomas de Gendt puts in a customary dig off the front.

But he's brought back and it's still very scrappy.

Geraint Thomas is just keeping himself up in the middle of the front bunch.

Andre Greipel is no longer in the race, having abandoned on stage 12 in the Alps.

And from next year he will no longer be with Lotto-Soudal.

There are rumours the Belgian team are interested in signing Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan, who was incensed to be left out of Mitchelton-Scott's Tour de France squad this year.

Sure enough, the power of Tim Declercq and Philippe Gilbert on the front of the bunch sees the leading trio of Adam Yates, Warren Barguil and Gregor Muhlberger brought back.

Can any of them go again?

Over 30km of racing today and the day's breakaway still hasn't gone. This is brutal racing.

Edvald Boasson Hagen can't make it across and rejoins the bunch.

Adam Yates, Warren Barguil and Gregor Muhlberger have 14 seconds on the peloton.

But Quick-Step have now hit the front in numbers to dry and bring them back.

The huge engine of Tim Declercq could well do it.

Image source, Getty Images

The gap goes back out to 15 seconds as the leading trio are able to swing through some road furniture quicker than a big chasing pack can.

Edvald Boasson Hagen goes again, trying to bridge across.

Julian Alaphilippe comes to the front of the chase and drives the pace up, helped by Romain Sicard of Direct Energie, who have made every break so far.

That takes the gap down to 12 seconds to the leading trio.

Ion Izagirre hits the front on a long straight road and the bunch can see Adam Yates, Warren Barguil and Gregory Muhlberger not far up the road now.

Yates, Barguil and Muhlberger are rolling through, eking out a bit more of a gap.

But with just three of them in the break and just 20 seconds lead, I'm not sure they'll be able to stay clear for long.

There are two many riders near the front of the peloton that want to bring this back and get themselves in the break.

Yates, Barguil and Muhlberger now have 18 seconds on the bunch.

Can anyone get across?

Edvald Boasson Hagen launches himself on the descent.

Bora's Gregor Muhlberger gets across to Warren Barguil and Adam Yates.

This leading trio are looking strong, with attacks still coming off the front of the peloton.

Dan Martin gets himself in a split up the road but is quickly shut down as he still sits 10th on GC.

Adam Yates puts in another dig, this time with Warren Barguil.

This is looking good, the groups are splintering behind.

Perez is brought back.

This is a tough start to the stage, with the break still yet to form.

Cofidis rider Anthony Perez is the latest to try his luck off the front.

Yoann Offredo is trying to counter from the peloton.

Peter Sagan puts in a dig to try and form a break but he's marked out and a big bunch come back together.

Julian Alaphilippe extends his lead over Warren Barguil in the polka dot jersey by rolling over the category three Cote de Luzencon in first place.

Will the race come back together on this descent?

Arnaud Demare is already a km down the road, having been dropped early on. The French sprinter is in for a long day.

Julian Alaphilippe was marking proceedings at the front and jumps on the wheel of Daniel Martinez. This looks a good attack with not long to the summit of the first climb.

Barguil is marked but his Fortuneo-Samsic team-mate Elie Gesbert then goes.

A fierce pace being set up this climb, shelling the rouleurs and sprinters out the back.

Adam Yates sits up and rejoins the main pack.

Warren Barguil now counters, looking to close the gap to Julian Alaphilippe in the polka dot jersey.

Yates is still off the front alone. He could really use some help though.

Others are starting to attack off the front but most teams will want to put a rider up the road so any move will be heavily marked.

It's brutal start to the stage, with climbing from the off, albeit beginning under a gorgeous viaduct in Millau.

The category three Cote de Luzencon is the first of three climbs in the stage - the last being the toughest, the catergory Pic de Nore.

Can any GC riders use that climb as a launchpad for a long-distance attack?

Image source, Tour de France