Well, without TV pictures I can't really tell you much unfortunately.

There is some indication that the break has been caught.

And the relay plane has landed at Doncaster Sheffield airport to refuel.

Australia's Rohan Dennis has abandoned the race - looks like a planned exit, his job done for the day.

A fine effort after his exertions of defending his time trial crown this week, pacing the peloton to limit the advantage of the breakaway and keep his team-mate Michael Matthews in contention.

France are charging on the front of the peloton and the gap to the leading group is down under a minute now.

Belgium are still up near the front - they have so many cards to play that they can't worry about committing more riders back to help Philippe Gilbert.

Watching the replays that was hefty crash into the barriers.

Philippe Gilbert was up quickly but was shaking his head and grimacing.

Gilbert told Remco Evenepoel to go but the 19-year-old prodigy, an outside bet for victory here himself, said no and waited. Chapeau!

Wonderkid Remco Evenepoel has stopped alongside Belgian team-mate Philippe Gilbert.

He's encouraging Gilbert to get up and the former world champion gets a new bike.

Off they go in pursuit of the peloton.

Gilbert looks in agony.

A crash in the peloton coming into the circuit.

A big spill, some broken wheels.

Philippe Gilbert is down!

Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic leads the breakaway on to the finishing circuit in Harrogate, the first of nine laps, with 125km to go.

Their advantage is down under two minutes now.

Once the race gets to the finishing circuit, we will unfortunately lose live pictures and the coverage will be limited to static camera shots and replays for about an hour.

It's because the relay plane that has been transmitting pictures needs to refuel, having had to cover the job that would also be done by the helicopters, which aren't flying today due to the weather.

Chris Boardman
Olympic cycling champion on BBC TV

We always see a surge from the peloton as the race approaches the finishing circuit and then it calms down again as the riders get used to it.

We'll see if the leaders can keep their advantage before they get to the circuit.

Another mechanical issue for Alexey Lutsenko but he's back riding soon enough after a bike change.

The peloton have taken another minute out of the gap to the leading group of 11.

Their lead is down to 2:30 now.

Just to warn you there could soon be disruption to the TV coverage because the relay plane used to transmit the pictures needs to refuel.

There are no helicopters being used today because of the terrible weather so the plane is having to take care of it all.

The host broadcaster has warned live coverage may drop out for a while.

There are four former winners of the world road race riding today - Philippe Gilbert, Rui Costa, Peter Sagan and Alejandro Valverde.

Gilbert has had a renaissance this year, winning Paris-Roubaix for the first time and two stages of the Vuelta a Espana.

Costa has not been a force for a couple of years and would be a shock winner today.

Sagan won three world championships in a row before his run was ended by Valverde last year. The Slovak has gone slightly under the radar for his standards coming into this race but it would not be a surprise to see him animate the race and be in contention at the finale.

Valverde is looking for back-to-back titles after an impressive ride to finish second overall at the Vuelta. A divisive figure who had a two-year ban for his part in Operation Puerto, he remains a force at 39 years old.

The peloton are just chipping away at the advantage of the leading group.

The gap is down to 3:35 now.

Simon Brotherton
Commentator on BBC TV

The rain is a little bit lighter than it was earlier. That's the best I can say for the weather today.

Britain's Alex Dowsett, who finished fifth in the time trial this week, reckons it will be an unfancied name who takes a maiden world title today.

The last time that really happened was Latvia's Romans Vainsteins winning in Plouay, France in 2000.

Right, so who are the favourites for victory today?

Here are some big names to look out for: Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe,Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews, Philippe Gilbert, Greg van Avermaet and Alejandro Valverde.

The route could also suit Remco Evenepoel, Matteo Trentin, Ben Swift, Sam Bennett and Alexander Kristoff.

This is the worlds though and there are so many riders with impressive pedigree that it's tough to call, especially in these conditions.

Emma Dux: Resorted to using the exercise bike whilst watching.

The peloton have upped the tempo a tad and brought the gap to the leading group of 11 down to four minutes now.