Tour de France LIVE stage 3: Team time trial latest updates and start times as BMC lead Team Sky
Stage three of the Tour de France might just be the best indicator yet of what's to come: a 35.5km team time trial around Cholet to test the inner workings of all 22 teams in this race.
In a team trial, each rider is awarded the time of their overall team, and it means the general classification is likely to be given a vigorous shake-up. Team trialling is a difficult skill to master and those groups who haven't put in the work to get in sync and maximise their power will pay the penalty as a group.
Among the favourites are BMC Racing and Team Sky, who both sense the opportunity to get their highest rider in the general classification – Greg van Avermaet and Geraint Thomas respectively – into the yellow jersey currently worn by Peter Sagan.
Follow all the latest below with our live blog (and scroll to the bottom for all the start times):
What's left of a depleted Astana hit the finish straight and their fourth rider crosses the line 51 sec down on BMC – a good effort considering Luis Leon Sanchez's abandonment from the Tour.
What has happened to Quick-Step Floors? They have split up into little groups, all struggling, and they are going to lose serious time here – which will send Fernando Gaviria down the general classification standings.
Astana after off, and after losing Luis Leon Sanchez to the fracture of four ribs and an elbow, this is all about damage limitation for the remaining seven members of the team.
The gaps are starting to form, here. Ag2r La Mondiale cross in sixth place, 1 min 15 sec down on BMC's leading mark, and that is a blow Romain Bardet's general classification hopes.
The next team off the start line might just be the best of the rest: Team Sunweb, with time trial monster Tom Dumoulin amongst their number. They are the world team time trial champions and will have their sights firmly set on BMC's leading mark.
Richie Porte and company power over the line to set a new fastest time of 38 min 46 sec, four seconds clear of Team Sky. There are still plenty 17 teams to come but you sense that will be an awfully hard mark to beat.
Van Avermaet is 16 seconds behind the yellow jersey (Peter Sagan) after stage two, while Thomas is 15 seconds back. So Presuming BMC and Team Sky finish clear of the rest, these are the fine margins which will decide who wear yellow on stage four. Here BMC go, into the final kilometre...
I thought Movistar might produce something today after a difficult opening two stages. They have not, instead giving up 49 seconds to Team Sky, and that is a blow to the hopes of both Nairo Quintana and Mikel Landa... meanwhile BMC cross the second time check five seconds ahead of Team Sky! This could put Greg van Avermaet in pole position to take the yellow jersey.
Geraint Thomas hits the front on the final straight and drags Team Sky over the line five seconds quicker than Mitchelton-Scott in 38 min 50 sec. We will have to wait and see if that is enough for Thomas to earn the yellow jersey at the end of the day, but for now Team Sky lead the early standings.
Hard to call without much to go on, but given the strength in depth of BMC we'll go with the American team edging out Team Sky, Mitchelton-Scott and Movistar.
Odds
Team Sky 8/13
BMC 5/2
Sunweb 10/1
Quick-Step Floors 20/1
Mitchelton-Scott 25/1
Start times
All times local, subtract one hour for BST:
1. Mitchelton-Scott (Aus) 15:10
2. Team Sky (GBr) 15.15
3. Movistar Team (Esp) 15.20
4. Groupama-FDJ (Fra) 15.25
5. BMC Racing Team (USA) 15.30
6. EF Education First-Drapac (USA) 15.35
7. UAE Team Emirates (UAE) 15.40
8. Ag2r La Mondiale (Fra) 15.45
9. Fortuneo-Samsic (Fra) 15.50
10. Direct Energie (Fra) 15.55
11. Lotto-Soudal (Bel) 16.00
12. LottoNL-Jumbo (Ned) 16.05
13. Cofidis, Solutions Credits (Fra) 16.10
14. Team Sunweb (Ger) 16.15
15. Team Dimension Data (RSA) 16.20
16. Katusha-Alpecin (Sui) 16.25
17. Bahrain-Merida (Brn) 16.30
18. Trek-Segafredo (USA) 16.35
19. Astana Pro Team (Kaz) 16.40
20. Wanty-Groupe Gobert (Bel) 16.45
21. Quick-Step Floors (Bel) 16.50
22. Bora-Hansgrohe (Ger) 16.55
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