Miguel Angel Lopez is back in the main group pack after been caught up in the crash. NTT's Domenico Pozzovivo is yet to make it across, escorted by Max Walscheid.

The 37-year-old Italian is sporting a bandage on his elbow. Hopefully it's just a minor cuts and bruises scenario.

Talking about British cycling and cyclists...

Ineos rider Luke Rowe says the future is bright for British Cycling despite the absences of Mark Cavendish and former Tour winners Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas from this year's Tour de France.

Feels weird having a Tour without either Froome or Thomas who have been fixtures here over the last decade.

Just listening to four-time champion Chris Froome on ITV4.

He reckons that the weather and some forecast rain in particular could make things even trickier as this stage goes on.

"I think they are in for quite a treacherous finale," Froome said.

"If the roads are wet it has the potential to rip the race apart."

Ouch!published at 14:14 British Summer Time 29 August 2020

14:14 BST 29 August 2020

Looks like a crossing of wheels and half a dozen cyclists are down including Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett.

The Irish national champion seems okay though. And took his time to get a new set of wheels sorted.

He'll be fine and should rejoin the peloton in due course.

• 22 Teams
• 176 riders
• 3,484km race distance
• 8 mountain stages
• 1 individual time trial
• 190 countries broadcast in
• 8m fans/followers on social media

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier in the week Tour director Christian Prudhomme told Reuters: "There will be police officers on the climbs, who will filter the crowd and make sure fans are wearing masks since I'm confident all the local authorities will make it mandatory."

Spectators along the road have also got to adhere to the two-metre social distancing rule and they will not be allowed anywhere near the team buses at the start of the stages.

Although clearly that will be a difficult job to police on a 3,484km course, or 2,165 miles in old money.

Listening to Chris Boardman on ITV 4 before and he said the Tour should be on.

He reckons its got "a fighting chance" of getting to Paris because fans will be spread out across the route and riders are out in the open air.

Hope so Chris.

This rescheduled Tour de France is going ahead in slightly surreal circumstances.

And with the increase in coronavirus cases in France, Ineos Grenadiers boss Sir Dave Brailsford says "nobody knows", external if the Tour will reach the finish in Paris on 20 September.

The three-week race, originally set to start on 27 June, of course spends a couple of days in Nice which is one of 19 new regions to be put under alert.

BBC Radio 5 Live

I know we're under way but if you haven't had chance yet just have a listen to our Tour de France preview courtesy of BBC Radio 5 Live.

Gareth Rhys Owen is in the box seat and is joined by Eurosport cycling presenter Orla Chennaoui, the Guardian's Tour de France correspondent Jeremy Whittle and former Team Sky rider Peter Kennaugh.

Just how do you organise an event this big during a global pandemic? Have a listen and hear.

Image source, @LeTour

Now if your wondering what's in store today and across this three-week cycling odyssey Britain's Adam Yates has put together a very helpful stage guide

The Mitchelton-Scott rider is hoping for stage victories this year after finishing fourth back in 2016.

And he takes us through the first nine of the 21 stages that make up the 2019 Tour de France, with pointers to where the race will be won and lost.

He's going to do the second half of the race once we get under way, probably around the time of the first rest day so by that stage he should be able to more accurately predict how the race will unfold.

The peloton is snaking its way around the tight and windy rounds just outside Nice but we do have a three-man break.

Michael Schar (CCC), Cyril Gautier (B&B) and Fabien Grellier (Total Direct Energie) have all put their foot on the gas to nip off from the front.

Zero reaction from the peloton who seem happy to let that one go.

Here we go....race director Christian Prudhomme has popped his torso out of his car to drop the flag signalling the start of the race.

Where's Thomas de Gendt? The Belgian has form for zipping off.

The peloton is still sweeping towards the start proper which is now about 500m away.

A long neutralised roll out is finally coming to its conclusion.

As starts to the Tour de France go, Nice on the French Riviera down in the south of the country is a pretty good one.

Nice has welcomed the Tour 36 times and 12 winners of the yellow jersey have won the Paris-Nice, Race to the Sun, including Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Stephen Roche, Miguel Indurain, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal.

Image source, Getty Images

We're still in the neutralised zone at the minute but the 176 riders are rolling towards the start proper.

Lots more fans than I was expecting to be honest. Though

Buckle up. The riders and teams are rolling out.

I'll be honest, I can't see much social distancing from roadside fans.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Oh and if you're wondering how the Lotto-Soudal team have managed to stay put... well that's because the new rules didn't come into play until today.

Riders and team staff members were tested for Covid-19 six and three days before the start of the race.

But two staff members of the Lotto Soudal team were sent home on Thursday after testing positive.

On Friday, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced that teams can be excluded if two riders from the same outfit test positive for Covid-19 within a seven-day period during the race.

The sport's governing body said the decision to exclude a team will not be automatic and will have to be made by race organisers.

However, on Saturday the picture seemed to shift again with French health authorities tightening the rules to say a team should be pulled if two or more of its members test positive within seven days.

The new regulations overrule the UCI and cover support staff as well as riders, organisers have said.

Tour teams comprise eight riders and a maximum of 22 support staff.

Image source, Getty Images

This race of course would usually be done and dusted at this stage of the year.

In face we'd normally be well into the Vuelta a Espana (one of the two other Grand Tours in cycling) but the global coronavirus pandemic means this rescheduled Tour is going to be a touch different.

A 3,484-kilometre route is in place but don’t expect see the same huge number of fans out on the roadside as before.

With social distancing key, there’ll also be plenty of other changes you notice along the way.

Welcome to our live coverage of the Tour de France.

Founded in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, editor of L'Auto newspaper, this is the 107th edition of the race and we've got an exciting and intriguing 21 stages to look forward to.

Will Egan Bernal retain his crown? Can Thibaut Pinot become the first French winner since 1985? And just what shape is Primoz Roglic in after his crash at the Criterium du Dauphine?

So many questions. Expect plenty of drama and all the answers to follow….

Image source, A.S.O./Alex Broadway

Image source, A.S.O./Alex Broadway

Image source, Getty Images