Image source, Getty Images

When it gets down to the business end of the stage later it would be frankly rude to look past three-time world champion Peter Sagan, as a potential winner.

An uphill sprint finish could be right up the Slovakian's street thinking back to the stages in Seraing and Boulogne-sur-Mer in 2012, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in 2016, Longwy in 2017 and Quimper in 2018.

And with the last 500m at an 8% gradient in Epernay the man in the green jersey is to be discounted at everyone else's peril.

As I mentioned earlier Greg Van Avermaet leads the King of the Mountains competition with two points, level with Xandro Meurisse.

But he'll have to go some to keep it.

Today’s four categorised climbs all arrive in a leg-sapping 16-mile section towards the back end of the race:

1. Cote de Nanteuil-la-Foret, category 4, 1.1km at 6.8%
2. Cote d’Hautvillers, category 3, 900m at 10.5%
3. Cote de Champillon, category 3, 1.8km at 6.6%]
4. Cote de Mutigny, category 3, 900m at 12.2%

Breakaway rider Tim Wellens said he'd be rider for Lotto-Soudal teammate Caleb Ewan this morning in an interview with Belgian broadcaster RTBF:

“We’ll ride for Caleb Ewan.

"He showed that he’s one of the fastest of the bunch. We aren’t afraid of the hills. Caleb showed in the past that he’s able to pass them. We trust him 10%.”

Wellens is currently the virtual race leader.

The five-man breakaway is till go strong at the front of the race.

They've stretched their advantage over the peloton out to the four-minute mark helped by a slight tailwind.

Nice thumbs up from Julian Alaphilippe who is currently sat towards the back of the peloton.

The Deceuninck-Quick Step man looks pretty relaxed on a slight downhill section.

Image source, Getty Images

CCC rider Greg van Avermaet is in the polka-dot jersey on Monday's third stage between Binche and Epernay. But could he be toasting a stage win later?

With four climbs in the final 40km of the stage he could well lose his mountains jersey come tea time.

However, after his surprise jump into the breakaway on stage one, it's more than likely that the Olympic road-race champion may have something else up his sleeve today.

""A stage win would be nice, but we're taking things day-by-day," he said after the team time trial.

"It's a nice area – I love to drink Champagne and it's a good finish for me."

Digressing slightly from just cycling, the Tour has reached the home of Bayern Munich and France defender Benjamin Pavard.

A bit like one of two in today's race he's got rocket fueled boots.

Image source, Getty Images

Could Julian Alaphilippe be the man to watch later on? Adam Yates certainly thinks so but the Frenchman says he will be a marked man at this year's Tour de France as he looks to replicate his spectacular successes of a year ago.

The 27-year-old won the King of the Mountains classification at last year's Tour as well as two individual stages, and is the top-ranked male road rider in the world.

"I think the peloton might treat me differently this year - it will be more difficult to be comfortable in the breakaway," Alaphilippe told BBC Radio 5 Live's BeSpoke podcast.

"A lot riders know me now, and they know I can sprint, that I can climb."

You can read more on that here.

Image source, Getty Images

The peloton is now about two minutes and 20 seconds down but Tony Martin, who is sat at the front is literally operating as a one-man band stringing out the riders behind him.

It's some sight but it looks quite blustery out there. This looks like it could be a tiring day. Albeit the German isn't even gasping for breath.

Stephane Rossetto's legs looked like they were about to drop off at the end of stage one when he launched an unsuccessful long-range solo attack.

Belgian's Thomas de Gendt was reeled in earlier.

But his Lotto-Soudal teammate Tim Wellens, Anthony Delaplace (Arkea-Samsic), Yoann Offredo (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Paul Ourselin (Total Direct Energie) and Stephane Rossetto (Cofidis) have stolen a march on the peloton.

The quintet have built a gap of around one minute and 30 seconds as the race crosses over into France.

Aside from team numbers how do you tell which twin brother is which?

Mitchelton-Scott have got it all worked out for Britain's Adam and Simon Yates.

Image source, @LeTour

Who wouldn't want a photo taken with the great Eddy Merckx.....?

The flag has dropped and Thomas de Gendt, has put the hammer down blasting off the front of the peloton.

The Belgian is in my Fantasy Tour de France team and he's pulled Tony Martin from Jumbo–Visma with him.

Two powerhouses. Not that Martin is likely to put a shift in with his teammate Mike Teunissen in yellow.

So after hosting the start of the first three day's of this year's Tour de France we are finally waving goodbye to Belgium.

Binche, the home of the Wanty-Groupe Gobert team, was used as the start venue of the Fleche Wallonne in 2013 and 2017, but after about 10km we'll be heading over the border into France.

Image source, Getty Images

Five-time winner Eddy Merckx is on his final day of ceremonial duties at the Tour de France.

Team Ineos rider Geraint Thomas is sat next to Stephane Rossetto at the front of the peloton as it rolls out of Binche.

The Cofidis rider was the most combative on stage one.

Image source, TOURDEFRANCE

So what can we expect from today?

Well Britain's Adam Yates reckons that the stage could come alive with some "short and punchy climbs" in the final 40km.

The Mitchelton-Scott rider has also tipped France's Julien Alaphilippe to come into his own as the race reaches Epernay.

But you can read all about that here in his stage guide.

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the third stage of the Tour de France.

Jumbo-Visma's Mike Teunissen leads the race but defending champion Britain's Geraint Thomas is handily placed in eighth in the general classification.

But don't expect too much from him today on the 215km drag from Binche to Epernay, as we move into France for the first time on this year's Tour.

A watching brief, steering clear of trouble is more likely on a stage that is pretty flat until the final 40km.