Key events

3h ago Kilometre zero
3h ago And we are off!
4h ago Preamble

54km to go Cameras focus on Vingegaard, who dropped back briefly to handle a minor issue. He is accompanied by teammates and the situation appears routine rather than serious.

58km to go Vercher and Caruso have abandoned their breakaway efforts and returned to the main group. Their decision is understandable given the circumstances.

64km to go Sprint squads now dictate the pace at the front, holding the advantage around 40 seconds. One final categorised climb remains before the breakaway is expected to be caught.

Enjoying your reporting on the tour as I work on my masters dissertation, writes John McGovern. Regarding Pogacar dominance, it creates compelling viewing and pushes rivals to elevate their performance. Still, reports of Vingegaard contemplating retirement are disappointing. Despite recent Vuelta and Giro successes, his achievements are inevitably compared to Pogacar and feel diminished as a result.

Best wishes with your dissertation, John.

78km to go Veistroffer claims the second mountains point of the day. Pogacar will not be overly concerned in the polka-dot classification.

Some insight here from Roland Marshall regarding French media influence on Pogacar coverage. He notes that commentary from French broadcasters has been critical of UAE tactics, even on stages they are not contesting for victory. This echoes past scrutiny of Chris Froome during Sky dominance. While many French fans appreciate Pogacar talent, a vocal minority resents foreign success in their national race. Similar incidents occurred historically, such as the 1975 incident involving Eddy Merckx.

86km to go Heavy rain now falls on the race. The break advantage has shrunk below one minute, a familiar pattern from earlier stages in this Tour.

Matthew Lysaght shares further views on the negativity toward Pogacar. He dislikes the roadside booing of a rider who ranks among the greatest since Merckx and could claim multiple more Grand Tours. Yet questions remain about UAE closing down every opportunity on medium mountain stages when the overall lead is already substantial. The outcome appears settled in the Alps, so the aggressive approach frustrates some spectators.

You have identified the central tension. The tactics irritate both competitors and fans seeking more open racing.

94km to go Tim Merlier signals a flat tyre and receives a swift bike replacement from the Soudal Quick Step support crew.

Philip Terry responds first to the question about roadside reactions. He notes Cavendish never faced similar treatment, perhaps because every victory required direct competition.

A fair observation, though Cavendish operated in the sprint category, which differs from the overall contest. Further comments are welcome via the email link.

102km to go Veistroffer takes the sole mountains point on the category-four Cote de Lanty. He is unlikely to challenge Pogacar in the polka-dot standings, where the race leader holds 42 points, 15 ahead of Vingegaard.

113km to go During a quieter moment, a question for readers: what are your thoughts on the booing directed at Pogacar? It recalls the hostility once aimed at Chris Froome during Sky supremacy. Should cycling greats receive more generous treatment?

119km to go TNT commentators suggest Pedersen may face demotion for his move during the intermediate sprint. Official confirmation is pending.

121km to go Veistroffer now has company as the breakaway grows to four riders.

123km to go The trio nearly reaches Veistroffer. Meanwhile Pedersen speaks with race officials, possibly regarding the sprint.

127km to go The intermediate sprint reduces Veistroffer lead to under a minute. Several teams attempt to form a larger escape. Damiano Caruso, Ewen Costiou and Matteo Vercher are now chasing the lone leader.

132km to go Veistroffer crosses the intermediate sprint line first. Behind him, Lidl-Trek organised a strong lead-out for Mads Pedersen, who took maximum points ahead of Philipsen. Pedersen shifted toward the barriers, briefly affecting Philipsen, though the pair exchanged handshakes afterward. Girmay finished sixth and lost further ground in the points competition.

141km to go Veistroffer extends his advantage to one minute 50 seconds. He is positioned to claim the 25 points available at the intermediate sprint.

147km to go The peloton tempo has eased, allowing several riders to take comfort breaks. Camera operators from TNT work carefully to maintain appropriate coverage.

151km to go Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto Intermarche has launched a solo move and holds nearly 50 seconds. He has been active since the start.

155km to go Teams continue to control the front as the intermediate sprint approaches. A breakaway may not form until after that point.

165km to go Michael Hessman, Thibault Guernalec, Mike Teunissen and Xabier Azparren briefly created a small gap but have been brought back.

170km to go Tudor rider Michael Storer suffered an early mechanical and is chasing back to the bunch alone. No breakaway has yet established itself.

174km to go The bunch remains intact while teams assess each other. The peloton stretches after a sharp left turn into a roundabout followed by a sweeping right.

Kilometre zero

Rollout is complete and racing is underway.

And we are off!

The peloton completes several laps of the Magny-Cours circuit before Christian Prudhomme drops the flag to start the stage proper.

You can watch the rollout on the Tour social channels. It features sponsor presentations and local officials, delivered with enthusiasm in French. The atmosphere appears positive despite the unclear commentary.

Have any thoughts on today stage or the Tour overall? Feel free to send an email using the link at the top of the page.

I hope you stay with the coverage throughout the day. Here are the main timings:

12.30pm (BST) rollout
12.40pm (BST) kilometre zero
4.30pm (BST) finish

William Fotheringham

William Fotheringham stage guide

Nevers/Magny-Cours to Chalon-sur-Saone, 179.1km

This penultimate sprint stage covers nearly half the remaining distance. Three fourth-category climbs add a twist, particularly the lumpy section between 141km and 162km. Teams with climbing sprinters may increase pressure there to test rivals such as Merlier, Pedersen and Philipsen. Girmay team appears best placed to capitalise if others tire before the finish.

Here is a quick overview of today stage.

Preamble

A final chance for the fast finishers. Stage 12 offers sprinters such as Girmay and Philipsen their last realistic opportunity before the mountains dominate. The route includes 1800m of climbing late in the stage, yet the finish should suit pure speed after yesterday efforts and eleven days of racing. Merlier has shown strong form and heads the betting markets.

The breakaway remains a key topic. UAE Team Emirates control has drawn criticism for limiting opportunities even on stages they do not target. Pogacar popularity has declined among some fans who find the dominance predictable. An unwritten code in cycling suggests teams should allow breakaways more freedom, yet UAE shows little interest. Kevin Vauquelin captured the sentiment when noting that others also wish to race freely. Hope remains that today brings more open competition.