Summary

  • Stage 5 - 27.2km individual time trial from Change to Laval

  • Key day for overall contenders

  • Can Mathieu van der Poel retain leader's yellow jersey?

  • Geraint Thomas posts 33:18

  • Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar wins in 32:00

Live Reporting

Jack Skelton

  1. Tadej Pogacar has just 3km to go until the finish.

    Stage win looks nailed on.

    Yellow jersey as well?

  2. Richard Carapaz goes through the second check over a minute down on Tadej Pogacar.

  3. Wout van Aert goes through the second time check 21 seconds down on Tadej Pogacar, having started the day with an eight-second lead over the Slovenian.

  4. Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are inseparable, yet again.

    MVDP goes through the first check seven seconds down on Pogacar, same as Van Aert.

    Pogacar could actually be his biggest threat to retaining yellow today.

  5. Tadej Pogacar is smashing it.

    He goes through the second time check quickest too - 17 seconds quicker than current leader Stefan Kung.

  6. Richard Carapaz is 34 seconds back on Tadej Pogacar.

    Not a great day for Ineos Greandiers at all, though Carapaz was never expected to challenge for the win in a TT.

  7. Tadej Pogacar has just gone quickest at the first time check, 10 seconds better than the previous best.

    Oh my. He might even have designs on taking the yellow jersey today.

    That said, Wout van Aert comes through only seven seconds slower than Pogacar.

    So Van Aert may well take yellow today, but Pogacar could well have established a huge advantage over his GC rivals.

  8. So just 17 riders left out on the course now everyone has started.

    The stage win and chances to move up the GC still up for grabs.

    Can anyone better Stefan Kung?

  9. Yellow jersey Mathieu van der Poel starts.

    He barely trains or races on a TT bike. But he's a phenom.

    Who knows how the Dutchman will go today? It'll be fascinating to find out.

  10. Geraint Thomas finishes in provisional ninth, about 59 seconds back on leader Stefan Kung.

  11. Geraint Thomas is heading towards the finish.

    He's already 40 seconds down on Stefan Kung and counting...

  12. Julian Alaphilippe - who famously won that thrilling TT in Pau in yellow in 2019 - begins amid a ferocious roar from the crowd.

  13. Richard Carapaz starts his TT. A strong ride and he'll definitely be Ineos Greandiers' leader, given how Geraint Thomas appears to be struggling compared to Primoz Roglic through the first two time checks.

  14. Top five as it stands

    1. Stefan Kung (Swi/Groupama-FDJ) - 32:19
    2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Vosma) - 32:27
    3. Kasper Asgreen (Den/Deceuninck-QuickStep) - 32:37
    4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) - 32:44
    5. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita/Deceuninck-QuickStep) - 32:55

  15. Primoz Roglic comes through the finish fourth fastest so far.

    A brilliant, defiant ride considering his injuries.

  16. Primoz Roglic is into the final kilometre of his ride.

    Wout van Aert - who could well take yellow today - begins his ride.

  17. Wilco Keldermann, a solid TT rider who has had a quietly strong start to this race, begins.

  18. Nothing rotten in the state of Danish cycling.

    Kasper Asgreen goes third quickest overall.

    That's four Danes in the top seven as it stands.

  19. Top five as it stands

    1. Stefan Kung (Swi/Groupama-FDJ) - 32:19
    2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Vosma) - 32:27
    3. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita/Deceuninck-QuickStep) - 32:55
    4. Richie Porte (Aus/Ineos Grenadiers) - 32:55
    5. Mikkel Bjerg (Den/UAE Team Emirates) - 33:01

  20. Pogacar under way

    The reigning champion begins his TT. Can he repeat his heroics of the penultimate stage last year and lay waste to his GC rivals much earlier in this year's edition?