Ile d'Oleron Le Chateau-d'Oleron to Ile de Re Saint-Martin-de-Re
Slovenia'a Primoz Roglic leads with Britain's Adam Yates in eighth
107th edition of the Tour de France
Three-week race delayed due to coronavirus pandemic
Francois Lemarchand has replaced Christian Prudhomme in the race director's car today.
He peers out of the roof of the car, which mic in hand and duly drops the flag.
Away we go.
Just a quick reminder of who is wearing what jersey in the various competitions...
Just imagine waiting for Covid-19 test results to drop into inboxes this morning.
Not ideal at all.
Anyone back to the racing. The sun is shining and the riders are cruising along after rolling out from the start at Chateau d'OIeron.
This all comes of course after Ineos Grenadiers boss Sir Dave Brailsford said he expected there to be positive coronavirus tests announced after Monday’s rest day in La Rochelle.
Not sure he was expecting anyone from his own team mind.
Deceuninck-Quickstep also confirmed that a member of their staff underwent a second test after "an error was made in the laboratory."
However, don't expect to see Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, leaning out of a car today delivering the flag drop, to start the race.
Organisers ASO say he has tested positive for coronavirus so he's going to be out of commission for at least seven days.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex was in Prudhomme's car for part of stage eight, after saying he was pretty happy with how the Tour was going about its business when it came to safety protocols.
All 22 teams will start the 10th stage of the Tour de France after all the riders were given the all-clear from Monday's coronavirus tests.
A total of 841 tests were performed and while all the riders tested negative, one member of staff from Cofidis, AG2R-La Mondiale, Ineos Grenadiers and Mitchelton-Scott have tested positive and left the race bubble.
A technical service provider has also tested positive and has left the race.
French health authorities and organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) had said that should two members of a team, riders or staff, test positive for the novel coronavirus, the whole outfit would be excluded from the race..
Of course if the echelons don't blow the GC race open a bunch sprint is likely to be the order of the day, along with a relatively comfortable defence of the yellow jersey by the new leader Primoz Roglic.
Image source, Getty ImagesOh I do like to be beside the seaside is very much the theme as we travel from Ile d'Oleron Le Chateau-d'Oleron to Ile de Re Saint-Martin-de-Re.
This is the first time ever that the Tour de France will feature two islands in the same stage which are both linked to the mainland by bridges.
Expect some spectacular scenery but if the wind picks up, also plenty of potential drama in the general classification race.