Key events

2h ago QOM competition: top five
2h ago Racing on stage five
3h ago Top 10 GC before stage five
3h ago Preamble

61km to go: Movistar rider Marlen Reusser, who won yesterday's time trial, has support from teammates in the main group, though Antonia Niedermaier holds the virtual yellow jersey at this point.

Pieterse keeps control of the mountains competition, adding more points ahead of Magdeleine Vallieres.

64km to go: The advantage has narrowed slightly as aerial views reveal beautiful central French landscapes in peak summer.

De Vries, Van Damme, Fisher-Black, Spratt and Lippert feature among the leaders up front.

We are beyond the midpoint of the stage now. Much racing remains, yet the 1min 46secs lead held by the break has grown meaningful.

Around 65km left.

69km to go: Pieterse, current Queen of the Mountains, secured top points on the Col de Gerbet. Time for a quick descent.

71km to go: Broadcasters aired Kim Le Court's lively pre-stage interview where she called her stage four ride "shit" and one of her poorest performances. Commentators apologised for the wording.

Direct as ever, Le Court described today's route as among the race's hardest.

Back on course, Puck Pieterse in the polka dot jersey leads the breakaway effort.

73km to go: Lidl-Trek fields three riders in the leading group. Amanda Spratt drives the pace at the front, widening the margin to nearly 1min 30secs.

Thanks Luke. We have passed the 75km to go sign.

The peloton with several strong names tries to reel in the leaders, but the gap widens toward one minute.

77km to go: I am stepping away for lunch as Dominic Booth takes over. Au revoir.

A strong break of 20 riders holds 42sec. Spratt, Fisher-Black, Ruegg and Pieterse are included.

78km to go: The Col de Gerbet comes next after a short uncategorised rise and descent on the category-two climb of 4.6km at 6.5 percent average.

83km to go: Average speed sits at 33.8km/h reflecting the rolling terrain. Temperature reads 31C, warm yet manageable.

86km to go: Pieterse attacks again near the Col de Fontmartin summit to claim maximum points. The front group has thinned to 75 riders.

Wiebes in the green jersey trails by 1min 15sec with nine others.

88km to go: This profile suits a breakaway specialist like Thomas de Gendt in the men's event. The key is launching an attack that creates a lasting gap. Can anyone deliver that today?

88km to go: Amanda Spratt attacks on the Col de Fontmartin but the move is covered at once.

89km to go: Reusser noted yesterday that she and the team labelled her time trial effort "Project Dijon" and joked about the yellow colour of Dijon mustard. She remains an engaging speaker.

92km to go: The Col de Fontmartin follows, 3.6km at 5.7 percent. So far this looks like a day for the overall contenders as expected. No break seems likely to last, but time will tell.

97km to go: Cipressi has been caught. The front group now numbers 92 including race leader Reusser as Movistar maintains control.

98km to go: The Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City is set for Sunday 16 August. Will the football season ever pause?

100km to go: Cipressi leads alone past the 100km mark. With five categorised climbs remaining the stage narrative is unfolding.

101km to go: The intermediate sprint at Monsols arrives soon. Cipressi takes 25 points there while Wiebes claims second in the bunch seconds later.

102km to go: A bonus point at Saint-Lager with 14.2km left offers six, four and two seconds. Niewiadoma-Phinney expects GC riders to focus on positioning rather than chasing those seconds before the final climb.

103km to go: Four groups now exist on the road. Carlotta Cipressi leads solo. Dani Rowe reports many riders want water and food yet team cars cannot pass dropped riders behind.

106km to go: This stage will prove highly selective. The 32 riders two minutes back will find it tough to rejoin if pressure stays high ahead. Attention turns to who remains in the lead group for the final climb Mont Brouilly peaking 10.6km from the finish.

107km to go: Three groups are out. Marianne Vos rides in a group of 10 a minute behind the main bunch while dropped riders sit two minutes back.

108km to go: Sara Casasola took second on the Col de la Croix de l'Orme for one QOM point.

109km to go: The bunch stays together on the category-four Côte de Saint-Christophe with 109 riders. A dropped group of 27 includes Charlotte Kool and Maud Rijnbeek.

110km to go: Matt Stephens asked if Pieterse had reconned the stage. "No I did not" she replied before expanding that she prefers not knowing the route and simply riding full gas as in her early Classics years.

111km to go: Pieterse takes the maximum two QOM points on the Col de la Croix de l'Orme with little challenge from rivals.

112km to go: Chiara Consonni crashes heavily and receives immediate medical attention. Hopes remain high that the 27-year-old Italian track champion is not seriously injured.

113km to go: The road rises and Fisher-Black is caught. Maëva Squiban leads at the front as the group stretches and legs burn.

114km to go: Fisher-Black rides alone ahead on a brief flatter section before the Col de la Croix de l'Orme, a category-four climb of 2.1km at 5.5 percent.

117km to go: A group of 24 has been dropped including Noskova of Cofidis second in the QOM standings. She launched a strong solo move late on stage one before being caught as Lorena Wiebes won and took yellow.

120km to go: Niamh Fisher-Black attacks on the descent toward the Col de la Croix de l'Orme gaining daylight on the chase group off the front.

123km to go: Dani Rowe notes the heat and the many bottles teams are using. "It is going to be fireworks today it is brutal" she adds of the hilly course.

125km to go: A descent follows then an uncategorised rise and longer drop to the Col de la Croix de l'Orme category-four climb 2.1km at 5.5 percent.

127km to go: Pieterse in full polka dots accelerates for the maximum five QOM points on the Côte de Cenves. No one contests at the front.

128km to go: Attacks start inside the final kilometre to the Côte de Cenves summit.

129.5km to go: Over 2km remain to the top. Many riders feel the effects of this tough start right after the time trial yet their bodies will warm for later climbs.

QOM competition: top five

1) Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) 18pts
2) Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) 14pts
3) Sigrid Haugset (Uno-X Mobility) 11pts
4) Oceane Mahe (Ma Petite Entreprise) 8pts
5) Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility) 7pts

131km to go: Brief moves at the front were closed down and the group stayed together. Twenty-seven QOM points are available today the second-highest total of the race.

"I feel good" Ferrand-Prévot told TNT Sports. "I had a good night of sleep I feel a bit lighter that the time trial is over. I can wake up and start a new day. I think it is going to be hard again and I am looking forward to it.

"It is funny people expect I will be matching Marlen or Demi in the TT but I never expected this. I knew it would never be the case. I am not surprised to lose two minutes I just have to try and gain some time somewhere.

"It is going to be a really hard day. The last two climbs are hard but the first part of the race is hard too. I want to get back a good feeling on the bike and maybe try something if I feel good."

134km to go: The road narrows and the bunch stretches. Pace is high yet not frantic as expected. Riders and directors have studied the route choosing optimal attack points.

135km to go: Vollering was among those who crashed but she has returned to the bunch unharmed.

136km to go: It is surprising there are no early attacks from riders seeking a lasting break after taking it easy in the time trial.

137km to go: A crash occurs at the rear though not at high speed. The front passes L'Eglise Saint-Germain in a scenic village.

138km to go: The road climbs immediately. The Côte de Cenves is 9.6km long at 4.4 percent average. The front is currently on an uncategorised section.

Racing on stage five

Allez!

The riders are out on the road and it is under 3km to the official start.

"I am certain there will be hard attacks. Hopefully not heart attacks. And we will try to follow." (Marlen Reusser).

"It is one of the steps to the main goal" says Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney of her time trial yesterday. "I know the real stuff is ahead of us. We are definitely happy with the execution but we keep our focus on upcoming stages. One day at a time."

"Expecting to see PFP AvdB and ELB make moves today as guessing none of them came to just sit and watch the GC battle take place without them" emails Simon. "Should be good."

PFP equals Pauline Ferrand-Prévot

AvdB equals Anna van der Breggen

ELB equals Elisa Longo Borghini

Rutger Tijssen Visma-Lease A Bike team manager discusses with TNT Sports the two minutes thirteen seconds Pauline Ferrand-Prévot lost yesterday finishing 34th and dropping to 14th overall.

"Losing minutes never makes you happy" he says. "In let's say five days we can say if it was too much or if it was good for us.

"Yesterday's time loss is not that bad at all. Her play card is still around the corner. We are looking forward to the coming days especially this Friday when we are going to approach the Mont Ventoux."