UAE Team Emirates have Mikkel Bjerg pushing the pace on the peloton, presumably to keep the break in touching distance.

Are they after the yellow jersey today for Tadej Pogacar?

Now here is that list of breakaway riders in full:

Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ), Alberto Bettiol, James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost), Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-Quick Step), Matej Mohoric, Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek), Adrien Petit, Mike Teunissen, Georg Zimmerman (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Hugo Houle (Israel-PremierTech), Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-Samsic), Maxim van Gils, Pascal Eenkhoorn(Lotto-Dstny), Cees Bol, Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies).

Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) has set off in pursuit of the escapees. This looks like a forlorn task.

Here we go...

Clearly keen to avoid the ultra aggressive couple of hours that we had at the start of stage 12 on Thursday, the peloton have let a group of 20 rides get up the road.

Image source, Getty Images

Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) are expected to go toe-to-toe later on today on the only categorised climb of the day, which comes with the hors categorie Grand Colombier.

But for now despite a number of sorties off the front a break is yet to stick in what has been a pretty rapido start to the stage.

Warren Barguil, who says he is going to try and get in the breakaway in the Alps was the last French rider to win on Bastille Day at the Tour in Foix in 2017.

French riders have won stages 28 times on their national holiday at the Tour and it's pretty much a given that if you're French and not involved in the GC battle, you'll be expected to make an almighty effort to try and get in the breakaway today.

Just a quick reminder of the GC standings.

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 50hrs 30mins 22secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +17secs

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2mins 40secs

4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +4mins 22secs

5. Pello Bilbao (Spa/Bahrain Victorious) +4mins 34secs

6. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +4mins 39secs

7. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) +4mins 44secs

8. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +5mins 26secs

9. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +6mins 01secs

10.Thibaut Pinot (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +6mins 33secs

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The sun is shining, the barbecues are going, the red wine is flowing and French flags are flying.

Bastille Day on the Grand Colombier...what's not to like about stage 13 of the Tour de France.

Home favourite Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) got a huge cheer as the riders signed on a little earlier. He will desperate eager to make into the break and showed he is in strong form yesterday with a sixth-place finish that saw him climb into the top 10 of the general classification.

Image source, Getty Images

A short, brutal stage has just got under way on Bastille Day as the race enters the Jura mountains for a summit finish on the fearsome Grand Colombier.

Former champion Egan Bernal cracked here in 2020 as Tadej Pogacar claimed victory on the way to the first of his two Tour triumphs.

While a showdown between the Slovenian and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard is to be expected, Thibaut Pinot, in his final season as a professional, and several other French riders will aim to delight home crowds on their national holiday.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to our coverage from stage 13 at the Tour de France, the 137.8km run from Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne to the finish atop the mighty Grand Colombier.

This should be an absolute cracker.