The racing is under way and we're expecting fireworks in the final 50km where explosive climbing and skilful descending will likely come to the fore and the GC favourites may have their first proper skirmish in this edition of the Tour de France.

Deceuninck, crashed out of the Tour de France Monday just two days after taking the yellow jersey for the first time in his career.

A three-week Grand Tour will always contain natural ebbs and flows, and, for much of Monday’s stage between Valenciennes and Dunkirk, it looked as if the peloton had declared an unofficial rest day, with the riders happy to cruise back towards the coast after a weekend of wind, rain and intensity.