Two stages in, and it's all been British so far. Luke Rowe winning both stages, ahead of Adam Blythe both times - to the great annoyance of Milka, who built the leadout both times.
A hattrick will be tough though, as we hit the hills.
Favourites for today include Betancourt, Sagan and McCarthy. But theres also 3 of our leading GC contenders. McCarthy's teammate Pinot, plus Eastman and Scarponi.
We've got an early KoM to encourage some attacks from the start, and the rider who woke up feeling the strongest was clearly Luke Durbridge.
Guillemois takes 2nd, with Zhilenko 3rd.
And from this, a breakaway forms. Joining those 3 are Viennet Schachtner Nehoray Navarro Jungels Albourdainy Quaade
They proceed to be joined by Vesely Reinhardt
And immediately Reinhardt takes the 1st intermediate sprint. Another 2nd for Guillemois, and indeed, another 3rd for Zhilenko!
And 2 more for the breakaway - bringing it up to 14 Hayakawa Gee
Theres some drama in the peloton too, as Kwiatkowski crashes. He gets back easily though.
Jungels takes the 2nd sprint - ahead of Reinhardt and Quaade
And then it is back to the KoM sprints. Guillemois finally figures out how to win a sprint prime, beating Viennet and Durbridge.
Durbridge is 3rd again on the next climb, but this time it is behind Reinhardt and Jungels. As a result, Guillemois and Durbridge share the KoM lead with 9 points.
That was the hardest climb of the day, but still the peloton are all together - 56 strong. This includes Navarro, who had been dropped by the break.
Firmly in charge are Wikipedia with pre-stage favourite McCarthy on the front! No doubts that Pinot is their man then.
The breakaway group lead the peloton by 1'30 with 28km to go.
But thats not the gap to the leader, Reinhardt is pushing on.
By 20km to go, all of the break except Reinhardt have been caught. And as the capture happens, we have attacks. It's non other than Betancourt - the rider with the best hill stat in the race. Scheit follows.
The move doesnt stick, as Reinhardt pushes his lead up to nearly 2 minutes!
Betancourt tries again though, this time followed by Sagan and Eastman.
The gap to Reinhardt now falls, but no move is getting clear. Bennett gives it a go
But as we head onto the descent with 7km to go, it is Kwiatkowski who has emerged from the peloton to try and cross the ever-reducing gap to Reinhardt.
McCarthy still leads the peloton into the last 5 kilometres. Just 35 riders left. Blythe has been dropped, but race leader Rowe remains.
Kwiatkowski and Reinhardt are caught together with 3km to go, but the Polish rider is still trying - launching an early sprint.
He soon has a new German for company though - Dieteren - while Shikai, Landa and still, McCarthy are all closing in too.
Ominously, Luke Rowe isnt far away!
But it is Landa, Dieteren, Shikai and Skujins who have a gap with 1200 metres to go.
Luke Rowe seems to be blocked in here, which will cost him
Its Skujins vs Landa!
Skujins edges in front ... but is that a 3rd wheel on the far right?
Yes it is. And with a huge finish, Peter Sagan takes the stage!
2nd for Skujins while Landa badly fades - allowing Scheit to take 3rd place on the line, edging out Kennaugh and Scarponi.
Luke Rowe remains the race leader, but could only managed 28th on the stage. Either blocked in or exhausted after dragging himself over the hills. With Blythe out of it, Sagan now moves up to 2nd, and Skujins is 3rd.
